Navy’s new patrol ships to be based in Bintulu

 

Nine companies have submitted bids to build long-range patrol vessels for the navy. Among the designs proposed is the Italian-designed FCX15 patrol vessel. (Fincantieri pic)

PETALING JAYA: Three new long-range patrol vessels being built for the navy will be based in Bintulu, Sarawak, to enhance security in the waters of the South China Sea, deputy defence minister Adly Zahari said today.

He said the sea is rich in marine resources for local fishermen, as well as sites for oil exploration.

Adly said more border checkpoints would also be set up in Sabah and Sarawak in view of Indonesia moving its capital to Nusantara in Kalimantan.

“The relocation of the Indonesian capital to Kalimantan, close to Sabah and Sarawak, will also require the development of stronger and more effective border controls, including the setting up of more checkpoints,” he told reporters in Melaka.

“Four checkpoints will be set up this year while seven more will be set up in Sabah and Sarawak next year as announced by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim,” Adly said after opening a workshop on political financing.

Talks would be held soon with the home ministry on the establishment of a single border agency as announced by the prime minister in his budget speech yesterday, in which Anwar announced a defence budget of RM19.7 billion, an increase of RM2 billion compared to this year.

He said the government would continue to buy three littoral mission ships for the navy and refit two submarines.

The new ships, part of the LMS Batch 2 project, are expected to have greater capabilities than four offshore patrol vessels of the Keris-class which have been delivered. The government allocated RM2.3 billion in the 2023 budget for the new ships, which will be the first of a class of eight vessels.

Military observers say the new ships are expected to be about three times the size of the Keris-class vessels, displacing about 2,000 tonnes, and equipped for rapid deployment and interception, especially for drug trafficking and illegal fishing.

The project has attracted bids from shipbuilders in nine countries, including Abu Dhabi, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa, South Korea and Turkey.

Housing the troops

Adly said one of the priorities of the defence ministry was to build more houses for military families and improve support and allowances for military veterans, including non-pensioners.

“Next year, about RM400 million will be allocated for housing construction, compared to RM200 million this year and RM100 million last year,” he said. - FMT