A-G: We'll obey Uruguay rules to get jet engines back

2010/02/07

KUALA LUMPUR: Although the government wants to bring home the stolen Royal Malaysian Air Force jet engines as soon as possible, it will have to abide by the proper procedures in Uruguay. "We are working closely with the Uruguay government on getting them back," said Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail.

However, he was confident the engines would be returned soon as Malaysia and Uruguay had a good relationship.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the stolen engines were not a "big issue" as they were valued at RM303,000 each.

"These are engines that were acquired more than 35 years ago. They are really old engines. They are not state-of-the-art and not strategic assets to the nation.

"It is not as though they are Sukhoi or F-18 engines," he said after a walkabout in Kampung Baru yesterday.

Among the frontline aircraft operated by the RMAF are the Sukhoi Su-30MKM Flanker and Boeing F/A-18D Hornet jets, which are newer and of more value than the engines stolen.

The stolen engines were those used in the RMAF's F-5E and RF-5E Tiger jets which were once the top aircraft in the country but have since been relegated to lesser roles.

Najib said efforts would still be undertaken to recover the engines as soon as possible.

The NST had in December last year brought to light the thefts of the two engines of the GE J85-21A variant.