(Bernama pic)KUALA LUMPUR : An opposition MP has urged the defence ministry to explain its decision to promote Nizam Jaffar, the former armed forces chief at the centre of a corruption scandal, to the post last year. Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz (PN-Tanah Merah) pointed out that Nizam was never even made an army chief. “So, what was the armed forces council’s basis and justification for appointing him as the head of the armed forces, surpassing several admirals, when he never held major roles before?”On Jan 31, 2025, Nizam, the then army’s assistant chief of staff, was appointed as the 23rd armed forces chief, taking over from Mohammad Ab Rahman. His appointment was a historic departure from tradition where the armed forces chief was not selected from the chiefs of the army, navy, and air force. The Bersatu MP suggested that a special committee – whether in the ministry or the armed forces – oversee the procurement of military assets and the awarding of high-value tenders.