KOTA KINABALU: The Eastern Fleet Command headquarters will receive two Kedah Class ships and four Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) by next year to strengthen the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) operation at sea.
Eastern Fleet Commander Vice-Admiral Datuk Syed Zahiruddin Putra Syed Osman said the additional assets in East Malaysia were in line with the 15th RMN Transformation Plan.
“The new assets will be placed in one location to make it easier for operation and maintenance.
“This strategy is also to enhance security and cooperation with other agencies in water patrol operations,” he said in a press conference at the monthly gathering at the Sepanggar Naval base here yesterday.
Zahiruddin said the Eastern Fleet Command currently had four Kedah Class ships and the additional two Kedah Class ships were expected by early next year.
The four Littoral Mission Ships (LMS), which were signed with China, said Zahiruddin, would also be placed in the Eastern Fleet Command.
“I was told that LMS will take two and a half years to complete and upon completion, the first ship will be brought here immediately,” he said.
Meanwhile, Zahiruddin said the focus of the Eastern Fleet Command was to strengthen working relationship and cooperation with other maritime agencies such as the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), the Marine Operation Force (MOF), the Fishery Department and the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESScom).
He added that a new navy base would be set up in Bintulu, Sarawak and named as Navy Regional Four, completing the Eastern Fleet Command in East Malaysia.
(The Borneo Post)