MalaySea:AmphibiousPatrolPlanes

[GWR]

Now the Royal Thai Navy will be even more keen to have one too.

I certainly never knew Singapore already had four subs.

Further down, it says Malaysia is also buying a recon submarine for training purposes. I imagine this would be a fairly small craft:

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2007/10/24/nation/n_p17submarine.jpg
[Photo: The Star - Traditional launch: Rosmah breaking a bottle of water against the submarine’s sail to signify the official launching and naming of the vessel KD Tunku Abdul Rahman at the DCNS dockyard.]

October 23, 2007 16:10 PM

Malaysia's First Scorpene Submarine To Be Launched Today

A special report by Roslan Ariffin

PARIS, Oct 22 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's ambitious plans to have a submarine fleet to enhance the nation's defence capabilities is bearing fruition, with the launch of its first submarine Tuesday.

Unveiling of the Scorpene-class underwater attack craft, is the highlight of a four-day visit to France by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

In keeping with the world's age-old navy tradition under the British empire that only women should inaugurate a ship, Najib's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, will have the honour of performing the customary launch by breaking a bottle across the bow of the vessel at DCNS dockyard in the port city of Cherbourg, about 350km from Paris, at 1pm local time (7pm Malaysia time).

Rosmah will also officially name the state-of-the-art submarine as "KD Tunku Abdul Rahman", after Malaysia's first prime minister.

The first of the two submarines ordered for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), the 67.5m-long submarine equipped with torpedoes, sub-surface-to-surface missiles and sea mines, is manned by only a 31-member crew due to high level of automation.

Malaysia ordered for two brand-new Scorpene submarines for RM3.4 billion in 2002 which were jointly built by French shipbuilding giant Defence Conseil National and its Spanish partner, Navantia.

The RMN is expected to take delivery of the vessel inaugurated today in January 2009 and is expected to arrive in Malaysia six months later.

The second submarine, to be named "KD Tun Razak" is expected to be handed over in October 2009 and arrive in the country in March 2010.

A second-hand reconditioned submarine "Quessant", to be used for training purposes, was booked under an agreement with a Malaysian company "Armaris".

The electricity and diesel-powered Scorpene submarine, capable of operating under 350-metre deep water for 40 straight days, is suitable to be deployed in South China Sea and Straits of Melaka.

The new generation Scorpene submarine seen as "adding another feather on the cap" of the navy will surely add more firepower to the navy to protect the country's territorial waters from being encroached into by foreign submarines.

It will complement the navy's current fleet of patrol crafts in meeting the challenges of sea operations.

Currently, only Singapore has four Swedish-made submarines, while Indonesia is to take delivery of four submarines from South Korea in a few years.

Malaysia's Scorpene submarines are expected to be based at the RM690 million navy base in Sepanggar Bay in Sabah. The 390-hectare base is the biggest navy facility for the Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan territorial waters.

Following acquisition of the submarine, the RMN has established a special submarine unit tasked with the administration of the squadron, training school and logistics for the submarines.

Currently, a 142-member navy crew and officers are undergoing a four-year training programme at the DCN Dockyard in Brest, about 500km from here, to operate the Scorpene submarines.

-- BERNAMA
Non-specific link:
http://www.bernama.com.my/

[GWR]

Now the Royal Thai Navy will be even more keen to have one too.

I certainly never knew Singapore already had four subs.

Further down, it says Malaysia is also buying a recon submarine for training purposes. I imagine this would be a fairly small craft:

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2007/10/24/nation/n_p17submarine.jpg
[Photo: The Star - Traditional launch: Rosmah breaking a bottle of water against the submarine’s sail to signify the official launching and naming of the vessel KD Tunku Abdul Rahman at the DCNS dockyard.]


Non-specific link:
http://www.bernama.com.my/

This article attempts to provide some explanation of the likely role of a submarines in the Malaysian Navy:

http://www.asianewsnet.net/admin/doc_storage/photo_gallery/20071024/t_1691.jpg
[Photo: http://www.asianewsnet.net/index.php - Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Najib Razak and French Defence Minister Herve Morin launches Malaysia's first submarine. - AFP]

First Malaysian sub launched

By CHOI TUCK WO

CHERBOURG (France): Malaysia’s first Scorpene submarine was launched Tuesday signifying yet another leap in the nation’s pursuit of new technology.

KD Tunku Abdul Rahman, named after the country’s first Prime Minister, was unveiled in a historic ceremony at the DCNS dockyard here, about 400km from Paris.

In keeping with maritime tradition, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor broke a bottle of water against the submarine’s sail to signify the official launching and naming of the vessel.

The Deputy Prime Minister’s wife then unveiled a plaque with the submarine’s name and called upon “Allah to bless her and all who serve and sail with her”.

Accompanying her were Royal Malaysian Navy chief Admiral Tan Sri Ramlan Mohamed Ali, DCNS chairman Jean-Marie Poimbeouf and Submarine Force Project Team head Laksamana Pertama Rosland Omar.

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, French Defence Minister Herve Morin, Defence Forces chief Jen Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Zainal and senior officials from both countries witnessed the ceremony.

Later, the VIPs toured the submarine which is equipped with torpedoes, sub-surface to surface missiles and sea mines.

The vessel was one of two bought by Malaysia in 2002, with both being jointly constructed by DCNS of France and Navantia of Spain.

Najib inspects the controls of the submarine during a tour of the vessel.
In his speech, Najib said the submarine was named after the Tunku in recognition of his contribution in leading the country to independence.

“His courage, wisdom and foresight had steered our nation to what it is today,” he added.

He said the submarine acquisition was part of the Malaysian Armed Forces’ modernisation programme which could contribute significantly towards creating a more balanced capability.

As a maritime nation and given its geographical setting, it is inevitable that Malaysia’s national interests and security concerns are closely related and associated with the seas, he said.

He said commercially, more than 90% of the country’s domestic and international trades were dependent on sea transportation.

On the seabed lies underwater pipelines that transport Malaysia’s oil and gas ashore as well as cables that link major international communication networks.

“It is thus crucial for Malaysia to have a small but credible and effective naval force to not only safeguard its sovereignty and maritime interests but also contribute to the region’s maritime security and safety,” he added.

Najib said the project signified a major leap into high technology defence acquisition, providing the impetus for the local industry to acquire cutting-edge technological knowledge and expertise.

KD Tunku Abdul Rahman is set to sail home, manned by the country’s first submarine crew in January 2009 while the second vessel, to be named KD Tun Razak, is expected to be delivered by October 2009.

[GWR]

Lloyd’s Delists Melaka Straits As War-risk Zone Due to Effective Measures Taken

PETALING JAYA, Nov 26 (Bernama) – More effective preventive and security measures adopted by Malaysia and the other littoral states had resulted in Lloyd's of London delisting the Straits of Melaka as a war-risk zone for more than a year now, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.

As such, vessels using the straits were no longer required to pay a higher insurance premium, he said at the taking delivery of three Dauphin AS365 N3 helicopters from Eurocopter Malaysia for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in Subang near here, Monday.

Najib, who is also the Defence Minister, said the government was committed to developing the capability of the MMEA in view of the need to safeguard the maritime areas.

He told reporters afterwards that the government planned to buy three more medium-light helicopters for the MMEA. The three Dauphin AS365 N3 helicopters cost RM145 million.

Meanwhile, Najib in is speech said Malaysia being a maritime nation, must ensure every inch of its sovereign territory and the nation’s interest must be protected at all time.

This is because Malaysia’s waters cover an area of 614,000 sqaure kilometers and coastline of 4,492 kilometers under the maritime zone, he said.

Apart from maintaining the national maritime interest, Malaysia bordered by vast seas must also contribute to the international community by ensuring freedom of movement and safety in the Straits of Melaka, South China Sea and the waters off Sabah.

“If they (international community) lose confidence, it will cause negative impact to our economy,” he said.

Najib emphasized that the country’s ports depend on the free and safe access for shipping, because if there is pirate attack or any international terrorism, the international community will opt for alternative routes and this will affect the ports in the country.

-- BERNAMA
Non-specific link:
http://www.bernama.com.my/

[GWR]

November 30, 2007 13:02 PM

Daily Five-hour Closure Of Langkawi Airport's Airspace During LIMA

LANGKAWI, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- The airspace over the Langkawi International Airport will be closed for five hours from tomorrow till Dec 8 in conjunction with the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) 2007 exhibition.

Langkawi Malaysia Airports Berhad manager, Mustafa Idrus, said the airspace would be closed from 10am to noon and from 2pm to 5pm.

The closure is to facilitate training sessions from tomorrow till Monday and the air show from Tuesday till Saturday, he told Bernama today.

Mustafa said the British "Red Arrows" aerobatic team, India's Suryakirans and the Royal Malaysian Air Force team were among those who would display their aerial prowess this time around.

He said Langkawi airport staff would be backed by more than 30 personnel from other airports in Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Alor Star.

There are currently 18 daily flights to Langkawi involving MAS and AirAsia (seven flights each), Firefly (three) and Singapore's Silk Air (one).

-- BERNAMA
Non-specific link:
http://www.bernama.com.my/

[GWR]

General
December 02, 2007 19:04 PM

Bury The Notion Of Sea-borne Terrorism In Melaka Straits - Researcher

LANGKAWI, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- The notion of sea-borne terrorism in the Straits of Melaka should be buried because it is a myth that the scourages of piracy and terrorism are intertwined, a senior researcher said today.

Col (Rtd) Ramli Nik, from the Centre of Maritime Security and Diplomacy of Maritime Institute of Malaysia, said it is because terrorism has not spilled any blood in the straits.

"Piracy and terrorism which are widely discussed and linked to the strategic waterways of the Straits of Melaka are different matters altogether. The major difference is that piracy is pursued for short-term financial gains without political motive.

"Terrorism has a clear ideological agenda," he said when presenting his paper at the International Maritime Conference entitled "Maintaining and Enhancing Security in the Straits of Melaka" jointly organised by HW Lima Sdn Bhd and the Royal Malaysian Navy here today.

Ramli said that from the Malaysian perspective, to combat transnational threat of terrorism there should be a political will to address the root causes of terrorism especially in the political and economic terms.

He said the littoral states of Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore have shown their competence and credibility to guarantee the straits' security.

"Thereby foreign navies or coast guards have no role to play in this regard," he said.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency enforcement head (northern region) First Admiral (Maritime) Zammani Mod Amin (rpt Zammani Mod Amin) said regional level coordinated operations named "Eyes in the Sky" would not be effective if not much effort was put in.

"All measures including new laws which have been gazetted to fulfill United Nations conventions and protocols are only platforms.

"Having eyes in the sky will not be fully effective without the ability to detect, classify and identify the threats.

"What is needed is good intelligence data and threat and trend analysis," Zammani said

Since the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency's short period of existence since 2004, he said, the number of piracy attacks in the Melaka Straits had dropped.

"This is also due to increased patrols by the littoral states' enforcement authorities since July 2005," he added.

About 160 foreign and local participants are attending the two-day seminar ending tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA

Non-specific link:
http://www.bernama.com.my/

[GWR]

http://www.nst.com.my/Thursday/National/20071206100231/insidepix1
[Photo:New Straits Times - Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah (centre) and Navy chief Admiral Tan Sri Ramlan Mohamed Ali (right) being briefed by Datuk Seri Ahmad Ramli Mohd Nor on the floating hotel.]

December 04, 2007 21:49 PM
Boustead Naval Shipyard Gets RM250 Mln To Build A Floating Hotel

LANGKAWI, Dec 4 (Bernama) -- Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd, a unit of Boustead Holdings Bhd, has won a RM250 million contract to build a floating hotel in the design of a ship, called a yacht hotel, from Finland's Sunborn Marine.

Assistant general manager Mohamed Ithnin, who also heads the Ship Construction and Engineering Division, said today the contract was signed last April and work has begun at its shipyard in Lumut completion date set for December 2008.

"It is a 1+1 contract, which means there is an option for another similar order," he told reporters at the maritime component of the Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace (LIMA) exhibition 2007 here.

Mohamed said Boustead Naval Shipyard beat bids from Vietnam, South Korea and Poland to win the contract.

This is the first time the company is building a yacht hotel and he said all the expertise comes from Malaysians.

The hotel, which will have 186 rooms including 22 suites, will be anchored off Barcelona in Spain, he added.

Mohamed said if all goes well, the second yacht hotel will be built in time for use at the 2012 Olympics in London.

Meanwhile, a Boustead Yacht Sdn Bhd spokesman said it is set to sign a letter of intent on Thursday to build a luxury yacht but its value has not bee finalised yet.

Its specifications include a speed of 16 knots and 12 cabins.

-- BERNAMA
Non-specific link:
http://www.bernama.com.my/

[GWR]

May 09, 2008 15:53 PM
PD Marine To Launch New Ferry Service To Sumatra

PORT DICKSON, May 9 (Bernama) -- PD Marine Services Sdn Bhd, an express ferry services provider, will start a new service from Port Dickson (PD) to Bagan Siapi-Api in Rokan Hilir province, Sumatra from May 15.

"The new service will use the 'Acob Express 1' ferry which has the capacity to accommodate 220 passengers. The journey will take about four hours," managing director, Datuk Yaacob Hussin, told Bernama here Friday.

PD Marine offers express ferry service from PD to Dumai, Indonesia since September 2005.

The service, Suka Express, leaves PD at 10am every day and can accommodate 134 passengers. The journey takes two hours.

Yaacob said the service has attracted good response, the majority of whom were from Indonesians.

"The Indonesians travel to and from Dumai and PD and vice versa. During the Hari Raya, New Year and Christmas holidays demand will be very high," he said.

He said the ferry service would benefit the country and boost trade, tourism and culture and arts ties with Indonesia.

Meanwhile, he said, the company's new RM4 million ferry would be ready in August.

"The ferry, to be named 'Acob Express 2', is being built in Sibu, and can accommodate 160 passengers. It will be used on the PD-Dumai route to meet the rising demand," he said.

-- BERNAMA
Non-specific link:
http://www.bernama.com.my/

[GWR]

Non-specific link:
http://www.bernama.com.my/

Tuesday June 17, 2008
Unit to get aircraft soon

KUCHING: The aircraft acquired by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency’s air unit are expected to arrive in September or October.

Director-general Admiral Datuk Amdan Kurish said the agency was in the process of acquiring two Bombardier amphibious aircraft from Canada, which will be used for aerial surveillance.

“We have not decided where we will station them, probably one in peninsular Malaysia and the other in Sabah or Sarawak.

“They will help us greatly in detecting illegal activities at sea,” he told reporters here yesterday.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/6/17/nation/20080617084113&sec=nation

[GWR]

Non-specific link:
http://www.bernama.com.my/

Thursday June 19, 2008
New ferry service connects PD to Sumatra
By C.S. NATHAN

A NEW ferry service from Port Dickson in Negri Sembilan to the Indonesian town of Bagan Siapi-Api was launched recently aimed at promoting the tourism and health industries.

Situated in the province of Rokan Hilir, Sumatra, Bagan Siapi-Api is a less than four-hour boat ride across the Malacca Straits.

Once a bustling fishing port, the township is home to a majority ethnic Chinese population who settled in the area in the late 1800s.

Ferry operator PD Marine Services Sdn Bhd chairman Yaacob Hussin said the new route would attract more visitors to the state.

“We also want to promote our medical industry as Port Dickson has been declared a wellness zone. They can also study here as there are several institutions of higher learning in Negri Sembilan.

“Some 30 visitors from Bagan Siapi-Api accompanied us back after our maiden trip there. They were quite happy with the reception they received after visiting some hospitals and colleges here.

“Those who can afford better quality medical treatment often make the trip down to Singapore. Why not come here instead?” he said.

Yaacob also said that the opening of the new route would allow locals to visit this little Indonesian town that has quaint traditions.

“The Chinese community there have at least four annual festivals, the largest being the Go Cap Lak or bakar tongkang festival where a specially constructed fishing vessel is set on fire.

“The symbolic ritual attracts visitors from as far as Taiwan, Hong Kong, Canada and Australia,” he said.

Residents heading to Jakarta, who used to travel long hours to Pekan Baru to catch a flight, have an option to travel via Port Dickson and vice-versa for international tourists headed to Bagan Siapi-Api.

Bagan Siapi-Api mayor H. Annas Maamum said the authorities there would also intensify efforts to upgrade the town’s facilities and infrastructure available to accommodate more tourists.

“We have also embarked on projects to preserve the history of the area,” he said.

The town, which won an award for being one of the cleanest in the country, has an estimated population of about 40,000.

Neat low-rises that line the streets are not only home to the townsfolk but also to swallows, highly-prized for their nests.

Currently, the ferry service to Bagan Siapi-Api runs thrice weekly costing RM125 for a one-way trip and RM230 for a return journey.

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/6/19/central/21568757&sec=central

[GWR]

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/6/17/nation/20080617084113&sec=nation

2008/06/19
First flyers!

http://www.nst.com.my/Thursday/National/2271482/insidepix1
[Photo: NST]

Malaysia will be the first country in Asia to use the specialised Bombardier 415 multipurpose amphibious aircraft.

This follows the recent purchase of two such aircraft by the Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).

The aircraft manufacturer, Bombardier Aerospace, said in a statement that the Malaysian government would be the launch customer in Asia for the Bombardier 415MP.

The two aircraft are expected to be delivered to MMEA by September.

The Bombardier 415MP can be used in a variety of specialised missions such as search and rescue, and environmental protection.
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/National/2271482/Article/index_html