Mindef awaiting full report on sinking of KD Pendekar

 

The Defence Ministry is waiting for a full report regarding the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) vessel, KD Pendekar, which experienced leakage and sank two nautical miles southeast of Tanjung Penyusop yesterday.

Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said RMN has started an investigation into the incident that happened to the almost 50-year-old ship which began operations in 1979.

“We do not deny that some of our ships are too old, but that may not be the cause. The cause, as was earlier said, is the leak is believed to be from the vessel hitting an underwater object and we are investigating.

“However, we are grateful that there were no casualties,” he told reporters after visiting the site of the Sedili Stingless Bee Farming Knowledge Transfer Programme organised by Universiti Malaysia Terengganu in Kota Tinggi today.

Khaled said there are about 10 to 15 RMN vessels that are over 40 years old and that an inspection on all the ships will be carried out.

The RMN, in a statement yesterday, said KD Pendekar suffered a major leak and flooding after hitting an underwater object while carrying out an operation at noon.

All 39 crew members were rescued after efforts to control the leak and stabilise the ship were unsuccessful.

A special investigation board has been set up to identify the source of the incident.

‘One LCS every year’

The Kota Tinggi MP said the government is working hard to get the littoral combat ships (LCS) that are being built ready according to schedule.

The government, he said, is also buying three new littoral mission ships (LMS) from Turkiye.

“The first LCS will operate in 2026. We have five LCS. Insya Allah, there will be one LCS every year.

“For the LMS, they will be ready in October, November and December of 2027,” he said.

Regarding the construction of RMN’s Naval Region 4 (Mawilla 4) headquarters in Bintulu, Sarawak, Khaled said the ministry is in the process of negotiating with the state government regarding the price of the land for the proposed project.

'“We are negotiating the price. If both parties agree we will build a new additional base there for RMN. It will also be the base for the LMS,” he said.

- Bernama