Retired admiral Ahmad Kamarulzaman Ahmad Badaruddin said that although the navy had its preferences, the contract details were decided by the finance ministry.

“In deciding on the design, they had taken other factors into consideration such as costs, risks, commercial proposal, and possibly even geostrategic matters,” he said.

“What’s more important here is that all the navy’s or the user’s technical specifications were met. This is to ensure they are able to fulfil the roles and functions stipulated.”

“In my view, the national interest should be above any individual or group interest,” he told FMT in an interview.

Declassified government documents show that the navy had in 2011 chosen the Dutch-designed Sigma class of modular ships, which could be configured as fast attack craft, corvettes or frigates.

The defence minister then, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, had agreed with the navy’s choice. However, he seemingly changed his mind, two days after receiving a recommendation from the contractor.

The defence ministry eventually decided on the French-designed Gowind class of frigates.

Boustead Naval Shipyard, the prime contractor for the project, has come under severe criticism for the delays in the project. A parliamentary committee said none of the six ships being built was yet ready after the expenditure of RM6.08 billion.

Kamarulzaman, who was navy chief from 2015 to 2018, turned to an analogy of buying a television set in describing the government’s decision.

He said a customer for a television set might have their own preferences and had the right to purchase any brand they wanted.

“But when it involves government funding, we should just accept any television brand as long as the specifications and features are the same as specified in the user’s requirement,” he said.