flee 5 Report post Posted December 27, 2011 PETALING JAYA (Dec 26, 2011): The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has had to ground its two amphibious planes – barely two years after putting the aircraft into service – due to budget constraints. Since their grounding, the two Bombardier Aerospace CL415MP have been sitting in a hangar in Subang. One has been parked there since late last year, while the other has been grounded for about half a year. According to the agency's 2010 annual report, the planes had to be grounded as the agency has yet to sign the maintenance contract for the amphibious planes as MMEA has not been allocated enough funds for the purpose. A tender for the contract was issued earlier this year to AJ Aeroservices Sdn Bhd as it was the local partner of Bombardier Canada, which undertook maintenance for both amphibious airplanes during its warranty period. However, the Treasury later told the MMEA to renegotiate the maintenance contract with AJ Aeroservices as the amount was above the agency's budget. Until now, however, the contract has not been signed and the two planes remain grounded. The cost of the contract for a two-year period could not be determined but industry insiders say amphibious planes are by nature maintenance extensive, and they believed the cost would be higher than similar sized turbo-prop aircraft. Apart from firefighting, the amphibious planes can be used for search and rescue and maritime surveillance although only one aircraft, serial number M71-01, has been fitted with the specialised mission equipment including two side-looking airborne radars, a forward-looking infrared radar, an airborne maritime surveillance system and other avionics and communications equipment. theSun understands that Chief Secretary of the Government Tan Sri Sidek Hassan is aware of the contract impasse and has scheduled meetings with the Treasury officials to overcome the problem. While the "best solution" seems to be for the government to increase the budget for MMEA to cover the maintenance for the two planes, it is understood that even if the maintenance contract is to be signed immediately, it will be several months before the aircraft can be made flyable as they need to undergo extended maintenance. An industry insider told theSun that this is because even after undergoing maintenance, both aircraft need to be certified airworthy by the Directorate of General Technical Airworthiness (DGTA) which is responsible for regulating the technical airworthiness of state-registered aircraft. Furthermore, due to extended grounding, the ratings of the crew of the amphibious planes – including pilots and quartermasters – have expired, meaning the MMEA personnel will have to relearn everything they had learnt when the planes were in services. "Everyone, from the crew and other personnel will have to start all over again. They have to relearn what they had learnt when the aircraft was in service. It is as if they had never operated the aircraft." theSun understands that to save money, a single 415MP instructor pilot will be sent overseas for re-certification before returning home to instruct the rest of the crews. Most of the flight personnel were sent to Canada to be certified on the planes previously. In its annual report, MMEA admitted that extensive corrosion had affected its first 415MP aircraft which has performed more than 1,000 landings at sea. It also noted that both aircraft's air-condition and auxiliary power units failed on numerous occasions and Bombardier, which had admitted its fault, is looking to resolve the problems. The government ordered the planes from Bombardier in June 2008 and the first aircraft was delivered in January 2009 while the second arrived in early 2010. The cost of the procurement was never announced but checks by theSun indicate that the list price for a 415 aircraft – without the special equipment – is around RM98 million. The MMEA, which was established in 2005 following the enactment of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Act 2004, is the sole agency to patrol and monitor the country's waters since Aug 1. Apart from the amphibious planes, MMEA operates 130 boats and vessels, and six helicopters with some 5,000 personnel to ensure safety, security and sovereignty of the Malaysian Maritime Zone. MMEA operates two types of helicopters – three Eurocopter Dauphin and three Agusta-Westland AW139. Incidentally, it is learnt that MMEA has also not signed any permanent maintenance contract for the six helicopters which are only being made operational under a "running contract" (temporary arrangement). Source Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tamizi Hj Tamby 1 Report post Posted December 27, 2011 Oh boy... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alberttky 0 Report post Posted December 27, 2011 Gajah Putih?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Raymund Yeoh 1 Report post Posted December 27, 2011 Is this a joke.....who is responsible for selecting the aircraft purchase should also be responsible for negotiating the mantainance contract for those aircrafts / copters involved......MACC...where are u Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rob 0 Report post Posted December 27, 2011 (edited) What a disgrace! Who runs this country? Edited December 27, 2011 by Rob Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Waiping 12 Report post Posted December 27, 2011 (edited) The same crooks who bought the aircraft, and those F-5E with missing engines, and those overpriced Typhoon etc... Almost forgot about the sub... Edited December 27, 2011 by Waiping Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Radzi 2 Report post Posted December 27, 2011 Calling all adult Malaysians, please do your duty and put the end to all these ..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Waiping 12 Report post Posted December 27, 2011 Calling all adult Malaysians, please do your duty and put the end to all these ..... Pay more tax? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mushrif A 3 Report post Posted December 27, 2011 Calling all adult Malaysians, please do your duty and put the end to all these ..... Very very sound advice. No more blank cheques pls. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Raymund Yeoh 1 Report post Posted December 27, 2011 The same crooks who bought the aircraft, and those F-5E with missing engines, and those overpriced Typhoon etc... Almost forgot about the sub... U forgot the Steyr AUG Assault rifle 5.56mm which was used by our Armed Forces in the 2000s and only to now change to M4 rifles Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alberttky 0 Report post Posted December 27, 2011 Calling all adult Malaysians, please do your duty and put the end to all these ..... Already! I'm out of the country! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LeeTZ 1 Report post Posted December 27, 2011 no budget? what's wrong? <_> Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rob 0 Report post Posted December 28, 2011 no budget? what's wrong? Because all the people in power are too generous, generous to their families, relatives, friends and brown-nosers. Not to ordinary people like you and me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mushrif A 3 Report post Posted December 28, 2011 no budget? what's wrong? <_> The ruling elite is what's wrong. Either the folks are just stupid or there wasnt enough kickbacks. It's just having just enough budget to purchase a car and then realising later that you have no money left to renew insurance, road tax and fuel. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flee 5 Report post Posted December 28, 2011 This is very sad - the leaders are talking about Vision 2020, high income nation, etc. and we can't even afford to fly a few planes to protect our shores? What the f*** is the govt. doing if it has failed to perform its basic duties to the nation? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Waiping 12 Report post Posted December 28, 2011 Well high income is USELESS when combine with HIGH COST! So we should all work here and move to Indonesia? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ignatius 4 Report post Posted December 28, 2011 Seee thats why I left!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rob 0 Report post Posted December 28, 2011 Does anyone have a picture of these two planes? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Josh T 0 Report post Posted December 28, 2011 Seee thats why I left!!!! Ditto. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xtemujin 0 Report post Posted December 28, 2011 I was wondering why the MMEA Bombardier was not showcased at the recent LIMA 2011 compared to the last LIMA 2009. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Waiping 12 Report post Posted December 28, 2011 (edited) I think this is one of them, taken during LIMA 2009. Edited December 28, 2011 by Waiping Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KK Lee 5 Report post Posted December 28, 2011 This is very sad - the leaders are talking about Vision 2020, high income nation, etc. and we can't even afford to fly a few planes to protect our shores? What the f*** is the govt. doing if it has failed to perform its basic duties to the nation? According to a friend who works in a bank; When the gomen mooted the idea of high income nation, many people anticipating high cost in the future rushed to purchase properties for their children. Hence, property sector was hot in the last 2-3 years Absolute high income is almost certain with high inflation rate. Believe disposable income is more important. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KK Lee 5 Report post Posted December 29, 2011 Given population/work force growth is faster than GDP, disposable income of vast majority is unlikely to keep up with inflation Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Timothy 1 Report post Posted December 29, 2011 someone should compile a list of all these failures and publish them to remind the gov that someone does remember ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ignatius 4 Report post Posted December 29, 2011 Just leave the Damn Country and see it rott from far Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
