PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim visited Lumut Naval Shipyard (LUNAS) today to review the Royal Malaysian Navy’s (RMN) littoral combat ship (LCS) project, joined by Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari and Chief of Defence Force General Tan Sri Mohd Nizam Jaffar.
The Defence Ministry reported that the project has reached 72.43% completion as of May 25, with LCS1 launched on May 23 and now in the “setting to work” (STW) phase, set for sea trials in December, Bernama reported.
“LCS2 was launched earlier on May 8 and is currently undergoing continued construction, with STW activities planned to begin in September this year,” the ministry stated. LCS3 is on track for delivery in 2027, with LCS4 and LCS5 to follow by 2029.
The RM9bil contract, awarded to Boustead Naval Shipyard in 2011 for six ships, has faced significant delays, with none delivered by the original 2019 to 2023 timeline.
Allegations of mismanagement and corruption have fuelled public outcry, with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission recently completing its probe and recommending charges.
Calls for a royal commission of inquiry and the declassification of reports persist, as Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders point to former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak and then-defence minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi — both of whom deny responsibility and instead blame PH for the setbacks. — June 15, 2025
Main photo credit: Bernama
