Anwar: RM1.6b Leonardo helicopter leasing contract backed by Italian govt, not ‘direct nego’

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told Parliament today that the RM16 billion contract to lease over two dozen Leonardo helicopters for 15 years is backed by a tacit guarantee from the Italian government.

He dismissed claims that the negotiations lacked transparency.

Anwar explained that the contract was awarded based on submitted proposals and was the result of a government-to-government negotiation.

He added that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, during the G20 conference in Brazil, assured that Leonardo would provide the best service.

The Italian government holds a 30 percent stake in Leonardo SpA, an aerospace, defense, and security company regarded as one of the best in the world.

“We wanted the negotiations for the helicopters to be transparent and directly between governments, without the involvement of agents. We also felt it would be more efficient to streamline the negotiations to avoid multiple discussions among different agencies,” Anwar said.

“We decided to consolidate the agencies that needed the helicopters and negotiate as a group to control costs. In fact, during the G20 in Rio de Janeiro, the Italian PM assured me that the Italian government would provide full cooperation.”

More to come