On Jan 16, Anwar ordered an immediate freeze on all military and police procurement following corruption allegations involving the armed forces.

Armed forces chief Malek Razak Sulaiman said any prolonged delay in procurement approvals and operational spending would disrupt ongoing military activities, Berita Harian reported.

Malek said operational expenditure includes essentials such as meals for personnel, fuel supplies, troop movements, and air transport.

“When procurement is frozen or temporarily suspended, it will affect operations that support our routine activities,” he told reporters after reporting for duty at Wisma Pertahanan in Kuala Lumpur today.

“If operational expenditure continues to be frozen, our readiness will decline. This is a serious matter.

“God willing, we will submit an appeal to the prime minister within a week to at least release funds for operational expenditure, so that we can move forward.

“I believe that with the prime minister’s attention as finance minister, and with the justification we provide, he will at least release funds for the most important part of the operational expenditure,” he said.

Malek said the armed forces’ operational spending is estimated at about RM2 billion for the army, while the navy and air force each requires about RM1.5 billion.

He said defence minister Khaled Nordin and the defence ministry’s secretary-general had informed him that documents outlining which operational expenditures should not be subject to the freeze were in the final stages of being reviewed before being presented to Anwar.