LUMUT — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today visited the Lumut Naval Shipyard (Lunas) at the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) base to review the progress of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) project.
He was accompanied by Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari and Chief of Defence Forces, General Tan Sri Mohd Nizam Jaffar.
During the visit, Anwar received a comprehensive briefing on the construction status of five Littoral Combat Ships being built for the RMN.
He expressed satisfaction with the project’s progress, describing it as commendable and reflective of the government’s commitment to strengthening national security assets and upholding good governance.
“We regard the RMN as a key line of defence, as our waters are not immune to threats such as terrorism, potential foreign incursions and smuggling. That is why I agreed for the LCS project to continue under the Finance Ministry.
“Previous delays stemmed from weak management, governance issues and corruption. If the management is poor, how can we ensure maritime security? That’s why good governance is essential,” he said during his speech at the Kenduri Rakyat programme held in conjunction with the Perak Madani Rakyat Programme 2025 at Shariff Hall, RMN Lumut.
In a statement, the Defence Ministry said overall progress on the project had reached 72.43% as of May 25.
It added that close coordination with key stakeholders — including the Finance Ministry, Economy Ministry, the Implementation Coordination Unit under the Prime Minister’s Department, and the Attorney General’s Chambers — is ongoing to enable proactive intervention by Lunas and ensure the smooth execution of the project.
The ministry also confirmed that Littoral Combat Ship 1 (LCS1) was successfully launched into the water on May 23, in line with the contractual timeline.
“LCS1 has now entered the setting to work (STW) phase as of last month (May) and is scheduled to undergo its first sea sailing in December.
“As for LCS2, it was launched earlier on May 8 and is currently undergoing continued construction, with STW activities planned to begin in September this year,” it said.
Construction of LCS3 to LCS5 remains on track, with LCS3 expected to be delivered to the RMN in 2027.
The subsequent vessels will be handed over at eight-month intervals, with the final ship, LCS5, slated for delivery in 2029. — June 15, 2025