PAC to review LCS project as first ship heads to sea trials

Parliamentary watchdog, the Public Accounts Committee made a working visit to the shipyard in Lumut a day after the first completed ship in the project set out to begin initial sea trials.

The first of the Maharajalela-class littoral combat ships being escorted out to sea in Lumut on Wednesday to begin initial sea trials. (Lunas pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 Parliament’s watchdog, the Public Accounts Committee, will hold discussions on Wednesday (Feb 4) about the progress of the navy’s controversial and long-delayed littoral combat ship project following a site visit to the naval shipyard in Lumut today.

Committee chairman Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said the meeting would discuss the outcome of the working visit today, as well as the latest progress of the project.

“This is the PAC’s third visit to monitor the project, following earlier proceedings on the project,” she said in a statement, Bernama reported.

At today’s visit, committee members were briefed on the progress of construction, the project schedule, and the challenges faced in completing the project.

“The PAC was also taken to view LCS1, which is currently under construction at the Lumut Naval Shipyard, and they were also brought to inspect LCS2 and LCS3, which are under construction, from the outside,” she said.

Representatives of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the public service department, the finance ministry, the national audit department and the accountant-general’s department were also present.

Mas Ermieyati also said the PAC would continue to monitor the progress of the project from time to time to ensure the vessels are completed according to the agreed timeline and cost.

The littoral combat ship programme was launched in 2011 for the construction of six frigates under a RM6 billion contract. The project stalled several years later, prompting a government investigation and a temporary suspension before work resumed in 2020. In 2024, the programme was reduced to five ships.

The frigates, based on the French-designed Gowind class, will be the Malaysian navy’s most advanced and largest warship. The first ship in the class, the Maharajalela, was towed out to sea to begin initial sea trials on Wednesday.

Once operational, the 3,100-tonne Maharajalela will be armed with a 57mm main gun, a 16-cell vertical launch missile system and eight naval strike missiles. It is expected to also carry unmanned aerial systems, and maritime helicopters.

The ship will have a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,260km) and a top speed of 28 knots (52km/h). - FMT