The government refused to disclose how much it spent on defence vehicle projects, by classifying the details under the Official Secrets Act (OSA).

This is according to Dewan Rakyat secretary Roosme Hamzah, in her reply to Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong to reject his parliamentary question.

Liew had asked how much has been spent on the AV-8 armoured vehicle and second generation patrol vessel (SGPV) projects, launch timeline and how much has been allocated to buy SGPV bullets.

Roosme said the questions are rejected because the information is “classified”.

Disappointed, Liew said financial aspects of the project must be under Parliament scrutiny because they are the largest defence projects in Malaysian history.

The AV-8 and SGPV projects cost RM7.5 billion and RM9 billion respectively.

Liew said it is acceptable to not reveal technical details and tactical deployment of the assets but it is international norm to reveal how the money is spent.

As such, he urged Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia to include revamp of categorisation of classified information, as part of parliamentary reform.

“The public needs to know how the money was spent, and was the principle of integrity being upheld in managing these funds?

“There is no reason why this information should be classified.

“If even a member of Parliament is prevented from asking and getting such information, how can the public be informed of pertinent expenditure involving taxpayer's funds?” the DAP MP asked in a statement.

In contrast, the United States government allowed its F-35 Joint Striker Fighter programme to be continually audited by the government’s accountability office.

Reports from the audit were also released to the US Congress and the public, he said.

Liew’s questions were among the raft of questions by MPs rejected by the Parliament secretariat in the ongoing sitting.

Most of the questions rejected were related to the funds found in Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s private bank accounts.

They are the RM2.6 billion, later revealed as political donation from a Saudi royal, and RM42 million from state firm SRC International.

Najib has denied abusing public funds, while attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali cleared him of wrongdoing .