Rudyard Kipling"
āWhen you're left wounded on Afganistan's plains and
the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldierā
General Douglas MacArthur"
āWe are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.ā
āIt is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.ā āOld soldiers never die; they just fade away.
āThe soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.ā
āMay God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .ā āThe object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
āNobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
āIt is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
The Soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as bright as his brass
"Step forward you Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint."
I've had to work on Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,
The Soldier squared his shoulders and said
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burden well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
MP SPEAKS | The PAC's LCS site visit was heart-breaking - Wong Kah Woh
Friday, August 12, 2022
Malaysiakini : Has all the equipment been paid for by BNS? No, not all have been
paid. That is why we can read there were huge debts owed to the original
equipment manufacturers, which eventually caused the work and supply to
stop.
The site
We were then brought to
visit LCS1 at the construction site. Looking at the outfit, one would
not be able to tell that it was the same warship that was ālaunchedā in
2017. But we know it is. Of course, the much-disputed mast is no longer
there.
We went into the main block to see the progress of the actual
construction. The Defence Ministry informed the PAC that the progress of
the actual construction is 44 percent for LCS1.
We
spent around one hour in LCS1 and went to the bus. The bus did drive us
past the whole construction site for LCS 1 to LCS 5. There are no
longer workers at the construction site, no locals or foreigners, no
contractors, and no ongoing works. Totally zero, totally stalled. It is
heart-breaking. As we all know, RM6 billion has already been spent.
No more money
In
the earlier proceedings, we were told that BNSā financial position is
in dire straits due to the financial mismanagement of the company.
PAC member Wong Shu Qi asked whether all RM6 billion had been spent by BNS. BHIC CEO Sharifuddin admitted āmemang duit kita sudah habisā¦ company memang tidak ada duit dan memang akan lingkup pun besok silap-silap.ā (Our funds had already run out, the company really has no money and can even fold tomorrow.)
Staff
salaries had been cut since October 2020, EPF contributions have not
been paid since May 2021. BNS is merely relying on some small jobs like
repair works for the navy to survive. (Pg 49 Hansard)
Sharifuddin
further informed the PAC that if BNS is gone, Boustead Holdings and the
Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT) will be affected severely. Plantations,
Pharmaniaga, Boustead Properties and Boustead Hotels all will be
affected. It will go as far as LTAT losing up to 46 percent of the fund
size. (Pg 52 Hansard)
Heart-breaking
It is
sad, really sad. Heart-breaking. The first thing in my mind was how
could a company which landed an RM9 billion contract from the government
come to this stage? It is more than mismanagement. Something is gravely
wrong, with those who were in power and those who got the contract.
I
hope the PAC Report on the LCS can help the nation by serving as a
definitive textbook on how to not conduct defence procurement, and how
power and processes should not be abused. The horror story of the LCS
project shall serve as a lesson to those in power, now and in the
future.
