The government has no intention to cover-up in the case of the missing RM50 million jet fighter engine belonging to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), said Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today.

NONE Najib, who was the minister of defence when the theft took place, said a police report was lodged as soon as the engine was discovered missing.

"The ministry has no intention to cover up at all," he said after chairing the Malaysian Aerospace Council meeting in Putrajaya.

"In fact we went forward to the police. At that time I was the minister in charge. I decided we should report it to the police," he said.

He added that the ministry will wait for the relevant authorities to wrap up their investigations before any action is taken against the wrongdoers.

"It depends on what the personnel had done wrong, It is up to the air force and armed force's council to decide on that," he said.

Waiting for AG's directives

Meanwhile, it was reported in the media today that a brigadier-general and 40 other armed forces personnel were sacked late last year over their alleged involvement in the theft.

On the brigadier-general who was sacked but retained his pension, Najib said it depended on what he had done wrong and it was up to the Air Force and the Armed Forces to decide on that.

"We wait until the full report comes out because we have cooperated with the police," he added.

In a related development, Kuala Lumpur commercial crime investigation deputy director Nooryah Md Anvar said police were waiting for directives from the Attorney-General's office on the next course of action.

On Saturday, Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the engine, worth RM50 million and discovered missing in 2007, had been sold to an international company.