We won't get F-35, coz US won't sell to us...  

if not mistaken TUDM already got thirty AIM-120C5 and AIM-120C7

F35 is not F22.
F35 is made to be sold to US allies and friend. MY is friend while SG is Ally. All alies nations are very important is some ways because they will support US policy and interest. All aliies nation will be given priority and "full package" in US weapon system'. The luxury of US friend nations will not have.

All production of F35 are given to US and her allies at the moment. That is not a bad thing for MY. IMO, only F35 block 10 is considered a "full" ready in combat. Sadly even US will dump early F35 production that they received rather than upgrade it.
But even if F35 block 10 is already produced, it doesnt mean that MY can get it. All US friend will get "less" than her allies. Maybe MY can get the block 10 after block 20 is produced.

At this moment we don't know exactly how effective is F35 against Russia/China srealth fighter. There are many analysis  but on paper only.

I don't think we should be too choosy on LIFT/LCA. No need for gold plated one, just check list all the RMAF requirements. RMAF needs LCA more than MRCA. The problem is RMAF is now in need to replace The Migs.

We can't even afford  a $70 mil jet?
If you going to say we can't afford the eurofighter or Rafale, I would agree with you. But really, can't even afford a f35? Really?

considering a basic jet like Fa-50 with BVR capabilities would cost $50 mil ie 70% of F35 price. Heck let cross out Gripen as well, surely we can't afford that one either.
Well let's all bow down to our new communist overlords then.
Why do people have to put f35 on a pedestal? It's basically a F16 with a heavy make-up on. Their sales numbers  are a results of arms twisting rather than on merit. The only one who adopted it are USAF, knowing fully well no one would invade them. People who actually go to war like USN doesn't want it. They rather fly the hornet.

All that marketing talk about it being a supercomputer that can fly. Well Gripen are also a super computer that can fly. Almost all jet these day are really.

3% of it stealth comes from it coating. And they rather handicapped the jet rather than scrapping off that damn thing. The other 7% comes from internally build sensor encased in fragile plastic. Their high operational cost is mostly due to it. Most jet don't go around flying with jamming & targeting pot attached all the time. If other jet do it, it would cost the same as well.

90% of it stealth comes from it un aerodynamics shape which they supplement by putting in a big fat but unreliable engine. It just an attempt to redirect the Russian & chinese to put together their own un aerodynamics flying matchbox knowing fully well that's Russian & chinese has bad to horrible engine & would never get it to fly. Well.  joke on the US side as both are bright enough and doesn't do it. The Su57 & j20 are just public showpiece for tradeshow not meant for war.

RMAF is really in need to replace those Migs.
Better split the 36 units LCA aquisition plan into 18 units of LCA and 18 units of Mig replacement. Gripen or Rafale is my first 2 choice.

Russia after sales memang teruk
pasal apa pasal monopoly by the government
hanya ada satu agency sahaja yang akan deal dengan parts for all russian made weapons

To use Meteor needs also to buy Gripen as a package. Latest version Gripen E already USD 70 million/unit. Same price as new SuperHornet . Topup a little bit can get F35A at USD90mil/unit. Gripen not economical as  there are better choices available. All for a single engine plane.Single engine=less range.

For broke country like ours ,better get used Legacy Hornet.Can be used with current missile inventory. Can tahan for extra 20 years. After 2050, we can look at what stealth aircraft in the market then. Maybe even unmanned fighters then

I'm confused
The link you provided show that the Gripen is more expensive then f35.

https://www.malaysiandefence.com/gripen-e-malaysia/

Previous Gripen C/D variant are cheapest at USD 30-40 million/unit. Problem with Gripen is single engine equals lower range and lower payload. You dont want to travel across South China Sea with only one engine

Newer Gripen E/ F variant just came out. More powerful single engine but also just one engine. Same cost as SuperHornet. Why get Gripen if can get Superhornet? We are more familiar with Hornet. Two engines=more reliable. Got economies of scale. US biggest global military supplier instead of tiny Sweden. Got after sales backup by mighty  Boeing

Buying military assets are buying military alliances also. Shows which team you are in currently.

With current geo-politics and anti-China climate in Washington,  we will have no problem with US Congress. In 2003, they even offered Superhornet but because of DrM  blunder, now we have rojak inventory.

Best case for broke country like Malaysia 2021-2040

MRCA-24x Legacy Hornet
LCA-36x  T50

Same engine. Less headache logistics. Same weapon inventory can be used.

Sell all besi buruk MIG and Soviet/Russian  shit already

how surprise are you if I said that we were offered and we almost did in 2015!
tapi US ni deal Government to Government... jadi faham2 la

Wonder why nobody would start a war? If war start, it is end of earth and human race.

China, USA, Russia, France and Great Britain have  ballistic missle submarimes (SSBN) , nuclear powered sub carry at least 12 nuclear ballistic missle that can hit a target between 8,000 km to 11,000 km away. Each with destrying power minimum 1,000 kiloton (1 megaton)

The destroying power of current nuclear ballistic missile  is minimum 1 Megaton (1,000 kiloton) per missile.  The atomic bomb little boy dropped in Japan that destroyed Hiroshima  in 1945, killing 200,000 people on immediate blast and more suffer later. The little boy atomic bomb was  only 15 kiloton, that is 1.5% of destrying power of current ballistic missile.

If one nuclear ballistic missle hit a city, its finish, at least 8 million to 10 million will die instantly and the city vapourized.

Below is china type 094A Jin Class at submerged 11,000 tons. Carry 12 Nuclear ballistic missile. Newer type 096 on construction.

In comparison, the US Navy ohio Class SSBN weight 18,000 tons and carry 14 ballistic nuklear missle + 4 cruisr missles.

The Russian Borei class SSBN weight 24,000 tons and carry 24 nuclear ballistic missile

China Type 094A Jin class weight 11,000 tons carry 12 nuclear missiles

Damn you are stupid lol , I hope you are not Malaysian , give us a bad name