The Defence Ministry will leave no stone unturned in its probe into the disappearance of a RM50 million F-5E fighter jet engine owned by the Royal Malaysia Air Force (RMAF).

"Although the loss was detected in 2007, internal investigations were undertaken while police also probed the matter.

"The investigations revealed RMAF's logistics system was full-proof. However, the shady activity might have been carried out staff in the lower rungs in cahoots with outsiders," he told reporters after launching the Penang and south Kedah territorial army company, in Penang today.

He said as the matter was still under investigation, RMAF could not give detailed information and besides legal issues were also involved.

"Should there have been any accidents involving any of the engines, the whole system will be investigated and this also applies to the disappearance of assets whereby related assets will be investigated," he said.

Stolen from military’s warehouse

Local dailies reported today that police had arrested four individuals, including RMAF officers, regarding the missing F-5E fighter jet engine worth about RM50 million from the Matra 1 Warehouse at Sungai Besi Airbase at the end of last year.

The service and maintenance record for the engine was also reported missing, believed to have been sold to another party in Europe.

Zahid said the armed forces had also reorganised its systems since the loss and there more frequent monitoring on procedures, inventory, and control of assets had been put in place.

He added that Prime Minister Najib Razak, who was defence minister at the time the engine went missing, was being updated on the progress of the investigations.

Engine sold to South American firm

Zahid later said in Bagan Datoh that the jet engine, which has been missing since 2007, was sold to an international company based

in South America.

He said the company was believed to have hired an agent to bring the multi-million ringgit engine out of the country.

"The ministry will take legal action at the international level to charge the company involved.

"Stern action will also be taken against RMAF personnel involved for betraying the country," he told reporters.

Ahmad Zahid confirmed that all documents pertaining to the sale of the ngine had been obtained by the police.

"The international company was interested in buying the engine because the price was cheap, as it was a spare part categorised as faulty and would be repaired," he said.

- Bernama