Latest news with #ZulhelmyIthnain
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Construction of second batch of LMS vessels on schedule, says Khaled
ISTANBUL: The construction of the second batch of three Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) by Turkish defence firm Savunma Teknolojileri Muhendislik (STM) at the Istanbul Shipyard is proceeding according to schedule. Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the first LMS is expected to be launched next April, followed by the second in June 2026 and the third in August 2026. "The construction of the second batch of LMS marks the first procurement following the signing of the government-to-government (G2G) memorandum of understanding (MoU) for defence acquisitions during my official maiden visit to Turkiye in June last year. "The progress of this construction is definitely important because it serves as the benchmark for the new procurement approach by the government," he told reporters after surveying the ship construction at the Istanbul Shipyard here on Thursday. He was accompanied by Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) Chief Admiral Tan Sri Zulhelmy Ithnain and a delegation from the Ministry of Defence. He said that after the vessels are launched into the water, they will enter a critical phase involving integrating various systems to be used on board, before Malaysia takes full delivery of the three ships by the end of 2027. He added that the procurement of the three LMS vessels will be followed by an Industrial Collaboration Programme (ICP), which has the potential to significantly impact the local defence industry, including through technology transfer that will be finalised by the end of this year. He said that Turkiye, before becoming a producer of defence products, also underwent a process of technology transfer from other countries before successfully developing its defence industry. "Malaysia has the same aspiration. Hopefully, the good bilateral relations and strategic collaboration between Malaysia and Turkiye can help propel the local defence industry, and at the same time, strengthen national sovereignty," he said. The second batch of LMS vessels for the RMN is based on the Ada-class corvette design developed by STM, which is equipped for multiple roles. Each of the ships will also be armed with ATMACA surface-to-surface missiles and air defence systems. Earlier, Mohamed Khaled attended the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) 2025, which is one of the world's prestigious defence exhibitions, organised by Turkiye's Ministry of National Defence (MOND) at the Istanbul Expo Centre. – BERNAMA
Free Malaysia Today
15-06-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
PM announces RM250mil in project allocations for navy base in Lumut
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim meeting with navy personnel in Lumut today. (Bernama pic) LUMUT : Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today announced project allocations totalling over RM250 million for the navy base in Lumut, to improve the well-being and welfare of security personnel, among other things. He said RM65 million has been allocated for the construction of a specialist clinic complex and the upgrading of the armed forces hospital at the base. Also approved were several key infrastructure projects, including the upgrading of the 33kV high-voltage distribution system, with an allocation of RM100 million, the replacement of the Bulk Fuel Installation operational tanks (RM23.3 million), and the upgrading of the operational jetty at the Lumut base (RM66.5 million). 'I urge the state secretary present here to immediately implement the construction of the specialist clinic complex and the upgrading of the Lumut armed forces hospital, for the well-being of navy personnel,' he said at a gathering with navy personnel here today. Present were communications minister Fahmi Fadzil and navy chief Zulhelmy Ithnain. Anwar said the government remains attentive to the need to enhance the country's defence assets, with the defence ministry receiving one of the largest allocations in the annual budget. 'Defence ranks third (in terms of allocation), after education and health. For 2025 alone, RM21.2 billion has been allocated – a significant amount for a developing nation,' he said. He said the move reflected the government's appreciation of the sacrifices made by the security forces and was aimed at ensuring national stability, which is crucial for economic growth. Anwar said he is often moved when learning of the poor condition of certain security assets that are still in use to safeguard the nation. 'That is why after becoming prime minister, I called in all the armed forces chiefs and asked them to outline their priority needs. Based on that, we work to secure sufficient funding to improve our defence machinery and assets,' he said.
Malay Mail
15-06-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Anwar announces RM255m upgrades for Lumut navy base, including specialist clinic and jetty revamp
LUMUT, June 15 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today announced several project allocations approved for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) Base in Lumut, aimed at improving the well-being and welfare of security personnel. He said RM65 million has been allocated for the construction of a specialist clinic complex and the upgrading of the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) Hospital at the base. Also approved are several key infrastructure projects, including the upgrading of the 33kV high-voltage distribution system, with an allocation of RM100 million; the replacement of the Bulk Fuel Installation (BFI) operational tanks at RM23.3 million; and the upgrading of the operational jetty at the Lumut Base, allocated RM66.5 million. 'I urge the State Secretary present here to immediately implement the construction of the specialist clinic complex and the upgrading of the Lumut ATM Hospital, for the well-being of RMN personnel,' he said. Anwar said this during the Lumut navy personnel's 'Kenduri Rakyat' programme, held in conjunction with the Perak Madani Rakyat Programme (PMR) 2025, here, today. Also present were Communications Minister, Datuk Fahmi Fadzil and Navy chief, Datuk Zulhelmy Ithnain. Meanwhile, Anwar said the government remains attentive to the need to enhance the country's defence assets, with the Defence Ministry being among the ministries receiving the largest allocations in the annual budget. 'Defence ranks third (in terms of allocation), after education and health. For 2025 alone, RM21.2 billion has been allocated – a significant amount for a developing nation,' he said. He added that the move reflected the government's appreciation of the sacrifices made by the security forces and was aimed at ensuring national stability, which is crucial for economic growth. Anwar also said he is often moved when learning of the poor condition of certain security assets that are still in use to safeguard the nation. 'That's why, upon the formation of the Madani Government, I called in all the armed forces chiefs and asked them to outline their priority needs. Based on that, we work to secure sufficient funding to improve our defence machinery and assets,' he said. — Bernama
The Star
06-06-2025
- General
- The Star
End of an era for three naval ships
Final salute: Naval officers marching during a ceremony to decommission three ships at the RMN base in Lumut. — Photo courtesy of China Press LUMUT: Three naval ships were officially decommissioned in full military traditions at the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) base here. The highlight of the ceremony was the symbolic striking of the ship's bell and the lowering of the commissioning pennant, marking the end of service for the three vessels – KD Laksamana Tun Abdul Jamil, KD Laksamana Tan Pusmah and KD Pendekar – each of which had played a significant role in safeguarding the nation's maritime sovereignty. KD Laksamana Tun Abdul Jamil, a corvette-class warship from the 24th Corvette Squadron, was built in Italy in 1982 and commissioned into service on July 28, 1997. Over the course of its service, it sailed a total of 486,487.1 nautical miles. KD Laksamana Tan Pusmah, also a corvette-class vessel from the same squadron, was commissioned on July 31, 1999, and had sailed a total of 315,907.6 nautical miles. Meanwhile, KD Pendekar, a vessel from the First Fast Attack Craft Squadron, was launched on Nov 11, 1978, and commissioned into service on Aug 21, 1979. It recorded an impressive total of 820,077.64 nautical miles sailed. Present were Navy chief Admiral Tan Sri Dr Zulhelmy Ithnain, as well as 37 former commanding officers of the three ships. In his speech, he said the three ships had been the backbone of Malaysia's maritime operations for decades, including during Ops Kekal Warisan, Ops Pejarak and Exclusive Economic Zone patrols, Bernama reported. Zulhelmy said the acquisition of new assets such as the Littoral Combat Ship and the Littoral Mission Ship Batch 2 is planned to replace the decommissioned vessels.
Free Malaysia Today
05-06-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
KD Pendekar among 3 navy vessels decommissioned today
KD Pendekar was one of three vessels formally decommissioned in a ceremony officiated by navy chief Zulhelmy Ithnain at the naval base in Lumut, Perak. PETALING JAYA : The navy today decommissioned a ship that sank off the coast of Johor after it hit an underwater object in August last year. KD Pendekar was one of three vessels formally decommissioned in a ceremony officiated by navy chief Zulhelmy Ithnain at the naval base in Lumut, Perak. The other two vessels, KD Laksamana Tun Abdul Jamil and KD Laksamana Tan Pusmah, were also retired from active service, the navy said in a Facebook post. It added that the decommissioning of the three vessels is part of a broader fleet modernisation initiative under the #15to5 transformation plan. On Aug 25, 2024, the KD Pendekar was reported to have struck a submerged object and started flooding before it sank in the South China Sea two nautical miles southeast of Tanjung Penyusop, in Kota Tinggi, Johor on the same day. Three days later, a navy crew member was reported to have died while trying to recover the wreckage of KD Pendekar. The vessel was successfully refloated in October 2024 through a salvage operation that was completed despite facing several challenges. A special investigation board set up to determine the cause of the incident found that KD Pendekar's sinking was due to a navigational error and the vessel's advanced age. The navy today said that with a total sailing distance of 820,077.64 nautical miles, the KD Pendekar ranks among the most extensively deployed assets in its history. It is part of the navy's first fast attack craft squadron and was commissioned in 1979. KD Laksamana Tun Abdul Jamil, a corvette-class warship built in 1982, was acquired by Malaysia in 1995 and commissioned in 1997. Its sister ship, KD Laksamana Tan Pusmah, entered service in 1999 and has logged 315,907.6 nautical miles.
