Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu said today that the ministry had awarded contracts for the construction and maintenance of Royal Malaysian Navy ships to the Boustead Naval Dockyard in Lumut amounting to RM18 billion.

Mohamad was answering a question dated July 31 from Kuala Terengganu MP Ahmad Amzad Mohamed on the value of the construction and repair contracts awarded to the company since 2000.

"For the construction contract, a total of RM6.7 billion was spent for constructing the patrol vessel ship.

"RM9.1 billion was spent on the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), and RM1.17 billion for the Littoral Mission Ship (LMS)," he said in a parliamentary written reply.

As for the maintenance contract, Mohamad said that 34 ships and CB90 boats have undergone repairs at the Boustead Naval Shipyard, amounting to RM1.06 billion.

Mohamad, who is better known as Mat Sabu, had said his administration will investigate five scandals related to Mindef during BN-era rule.