NAVY LAUNCHES THIRD LITTORAL COMBAT SHIP, SHARIF MASHOR, HONOURING SARAWAK HERO

LUMUT, Feb 10 (Bernama) -- The Royal Malaysian Navy today commemorated the bravery and indomitable spirit of Sarawak hero Sharif Mashor by naming its third Littoral Combat Ship in his honour, successfully launching the vessel at the Lumut Naval Shipyard.

The official naming and launch ceremony was officiated by the wife of Sarawak Governor, Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Fauziah Mohd Sanusi, featuring a symbolic Engine Order Telegraph demonstration. 

Also in attendance were Sarawak Governor Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari, Chief of Navy Admiral Tan Sri Dr Zulhelmy Ithnain, and Lumut Naval Shipyard chief executive officer Ir Azhar Jumaat.

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Reading out Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin’s speech, Adly said that naming the vessel after the revered hero from Sarawak was a fitting tribute to his distinguished character.

“Originally the ruler of Sarikei, overseeing the Batang Rejang, Sharif Mashor is believed to have come from Igan and married the sister of Pengiran Nipa. 

“A hero renowned for his strong patriotic spirit, he had planned to resist the Brooke administration,” he said. 

He added that naming the ship after Sharif Mashor reflects its capabilities and stands as a symbol of the Navy’s strength and the Malaysian Armed Forces’ commitment to defending the nation’s sovereignty.

Construction of the ship began with the keel-laying ceremony on Nov 29, 2017, and it was technically launched at the naval shipyard on Jan 31, followed by tests and system refinements.

Meanwhile, the first Littoral Combat Ship ‘Maharaja Lela’ completed its maiden sea-going test on Jan 28, 2026, while the second one, named ‘Raja Muda Nala’, was launched and named by Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor, Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin, on July 3, 2025.

-- BERNAMA