ROYAL MALAYSIAN NAVY CONTINUES TO DEFEND SOVEREIGNTY OF MALAYSIA'S SEAS

By Noraizura Ahmad

KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 (Bernama) -- The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) continues to strengthen its role as the country’s main line of maritime defence through the implementation of various strategic initiatives that reflect its high commitment to the country’s sovereignty and safety of its waters.

Chief of Navy Admiral Datuk Zulhelmy Ithnain said that the success of the procurement of new assets - including the Littoral Mission Ship Batch 2 (LMSB2), Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and Fast Interceptor Craft (FIC) - proved that the Navy was on the right track in improving combat readiness and capabilities.

“The keel laying of the LMSB2 was completed on April 8 at Istanbul Shipyard, Turkiye marking an important phase of ship construction that is estimated to be completed in mid 2026 before being handed over to the RMN at the end of 2007,” he told Bernama in conjunction with the 91st Navy Day with the theme ‘TLDM Perkasa, Kedaulatan Terpelihara’ today.

Zulhelmy also shared that the LC1 is expected to be handed over to the Navy in Aug 2026 while the start of construction for LCS 2 and LCS 3 would be in June 2025 and January 2026 respectively.

“From the 19 FIC units approved in 2020 to support Op Benteng, 14 have been received and the rest are expected to arrive at the end of this year,” he said.

Zulhelmy also said that the RMN planned to procure two Multi Role Support Ships (MRSS), three LMS Batch 3 and four Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) helicopters, all of which will be operational before 2035 under the 13th Malaysia Plan.

“These assets will not only strengthen the element of ‘prevent resist’ but also contribute to the Navy’s combat capabilities and would be developed through partnerships between local and international shipyeards to empower the national defence industry sustainably and reduce dependency on foreign original equipment manufacturers,” he said.

To ensure continuity of operations, Zulhelmy the Navy is focusing on vital infrastructure development such as the construction of the Naval Region 4 Headquarters (MAWILLA 4) in Sarawak to protect national strategic interests in Borneo waters.

Besides defence aspects, the welfare of naval personnel is being addressed through the new Armed Forces Family Home construction project, he added.

“The projects underway are at the National Hydrography Centre, the Kota Kinabalu Naval Base and the Naval Region 2 Headquarters in Sandakan.

On this year’s 91st Navy Day celebrations, Zulhemy said it would be in moderation but filled with interesting events, including a parade, blood drive, welfare visits and Armada Open Days at several naval bases including in Kota Kinabalu, Tanjung Gelang base in Kuantan and in Sandakan.

Even though the loss of 10 naval personnel in a helicopter crash during Navy Day rehersals last year left a deep impact, Zulhelmy said the force was still forging ahead with a more people-oriented approach.

“Even though last year’s incident remains fresh in mind, the celebrations will continue as a symbol of our personnel’s resilience. We hope Malaysians will continue to support our efforts to defend the sovereignty of our country’s waters,” he said.

Zulhelmy also expressed his confidence towards the implementation of the Transformation 15to5 Plan and the maritime defence policy that outlined the RMN as a modern navy, dedicated and respected in the region.

-- BERNAMA