KD Pendekar among 3 navy vessels decommissioned today
KD Pendekar was one of three vessels formally decommissioned in a ceremony officiated by navy chief Zulhelmy Ithnain at the naval base in Lumut, Perak.
PETALING JAYA : The navy today decommissioned a ship that sank off the coast of Johor after it hit an underwater object in August last year.
KD Pendekar was one of three vessels formally decommissioned in a ceremony officiated by navy chief Zulhelmy Ithnain at the naval base in Lumut, Perak.
The other two vessels, KD Laksamana Tun Abdul Jamil and KD Laksamana Tan Pusmah, were also retired from active service, the navy said in a Facebook post.
It added that the decommissioning of the three vessels is part of a broader fleet modernisation initiative under the #15to5 transformation plan.
On Aug 25, 2024, the KD Pendekar was reported to have struck a submerged object and started flooding before it sank in the South China Sea two nautical miles southeast of Tanjung Penyusop, in Kota Tinggi, Johor on the same day.
Three days later, a navy crew member was reported to have died while trying to recover the wreckage of KD Pendekar.
The vessel was successfully refloated in October 2024 through a salvage operation that was completed despite facing several challenges.
A special investigation board set up to determine the cause of the incident found that KD Pendekar's sinking was due to a navigational error and the vessel's advanced age.
The navy today said that with a total sailing distance of 820,077.64 nautical miles, the KD Pendekar ranks among the most extensively deployed assets in its history. It is part of the navy's first fast attack craft squadron and was commissioned in 1979.
KD Laksamana Tun Abdul Jamil, a corvette-class warship built in 1982, was acquired by Malaysia in 1995 and commissioned in 1997. Its sister ship, KD Laksamana Tan Pusmah, entered service in 1999 and has logged 315,907.6 nautical miles.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
14 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Why Johor is now an investor safe haven
The Nikkei Forum Medini Johor 2025 brought industry experts to discuss the future of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ). ISKANDAR PUTERI : The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) has been touted as the next major engine of growth for Southeast Asia. Formally established in January through a bilateral agreement between Malaysia and Singapore, the zone aims to enhance cross-border economic connectivity. Over the next 10 years, it is set to support 100 projects worth RM100 billion and create an estimated 100,000 jobs across high-value sectors such as manufacturing, the digital economy, logistics, clean energy, and tourism. At the June 18-19 Nikkei Forum Medini Johor 2025, co-organised by Iskandar Investment Bhd (IIB), industry experts and panellists discussed how best to unlock the region's potential and ensure it stays on track. FMT highlights several key themes and their implications for Johor and beyond. Johor as a stable option in a fractured landscape With its strategic location and stable policy environment, Johor, together with its neighbour Singapore, is increasingly seen as a compelling and secure investment destination. IIB president and CEO Idzham Hashim said the JS-SEZ offers a secure entry point for global capital, especially amid rising geopolitical and economic headwinds. Citing Johor's consistent ranking in Malaysia's top three destinations for foreign direct investment, he said the region's relatively low operating costs further enhance its appeal. 'The cost of doing business in Johor is almost 60% cheaper than in Singapore and almost 30% cheaper than in Kuala Lumpur. 'We have the ability to help (Singaporean businesses) scale up, reduce their cost of doing business, and give them the space they need to grow,' he said. This positioning is supported by financial institutions facilitating inbound investment. One example is United Overseas Bank Ltd (UOB), which is helping investors enter the regional market. Chiok Sook Yin, who heads UOB's foreign direct investment advisory unit, said the bank offers full-spectrum support for businesses expanding into the region. 'Besides having strong network connectivity, we have financial supply chain management solutions that help investors expand local sourcing and support new suppliers that follow (prominent) companies into Malaysia. 'We're also helping lower the barrier to entry for investors and addressing their concerns before they enter the markets they've targeted,' she said. Deloitte Malaysia executive director Thean Szu Ping said the government is backing this push with robust fiscal incentives. High-tech industries, she said, qualify for a preferential tax rate of 5% for up to 15 years. Capital-intensive sectors, meanwhile, will receive an investment tax allowance. Policy continuity and clarity needed The resignation of former economy minister Rafizi Ramli, who had played a key role in shaping the JS-SEZ blueprint, has raised questions about the zone's future direction. Despite his assurances that existing initiatives would continue uninterrupted, industry leaders emphasised the need for unwavering policy commitment. UEM Group Bhd managing director Amran Hafiz Affifudin described continuity as the 'most important enabler' of business confidence. 'As a member of the business community, we like to see continuity in policy, especially as an infrastructure company. Our investments are long-term, so clarity and continuity of policy are very important. 'We are a business with heavy capital expenditure. Policy stability is critical,' he said. Johor investment, trade, consumer affairs and human resources committee chairman Lee Ting Han echoed this, noting that in today's unpredictable global climate, consistency attracts capital. 'In this era of uncertainty, investors and innovators seek environments where rules are transparent, decisions are predictable, and institutions are stable. Johor is ready to offer these,' he said. Growing Japanese interest in the region One of the most pronounced takeaways from the forum was the deepening interest of Japanese industry in Johor, reflected in the participation of companies like Mitsui Banking Corporation Malaysia, and AEON Co. In his closing remarks, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim revealed that Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba had recently identified Johor as a region of strategic interest. Japanese ambassador to Malaysia Noriyuki Shikata pledged Tokyo's support for Johor's ambitions as a tech and infrastructure hub. 'Japan's liquefied natural gas cooling technology would offer an environmentally friendly and efficient cooling solution for Johor's data centres. 'By adopting this technology, the data centres in Johor could significantly improve energy efficiency while reducing their environmental impact as well as improving operational efficiency,' he said. He also offered Japan's AI-driven traffic control systems and digitally optimised public transport networks to help Johor overcome congestion challenges and become a model city for mobility solutions, not just for Malaysia, but for Asean and beyond. The momentum behind Japanese participation was further underscored by a memorandum of understanding signed between Invest Johor and Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed tech firm NEOJAPAN Inc to establish a Southeast Asian Centre of Excellence (SEA CoE) in Johor. The initiative aims to train 1,000 local talents and create 300 high-skilled jobs. Invest Johor CEO Natazha Hariss said the partnership is aimed at driving innovation and strengthening talent development across the JS-SEZ and will 'promote the JS-SEZ as a base for cutting-edge innovation and talent development'.
Free Malaysia Today
14 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Woman badly injured after falling from 7th floor apartment
Firefighters attending to the woman, who suffered a fractured right thigh and multiple lacerations. (JBPM Facebook pics) IPOH : A woman was seriously injured after falling from the seventh-floor rear balcony of an apartment unit at the Kinta Riverfront Service Suite in Kampung Jawa here this afternoon. Perak fire and rescue department operations division assistant director Sabarodzi Nor Ahmad said an emergency call was received at about 12.20pm, and eight firefighters were dispatched to the scene. The team found that a 20-year-old woman had fallen from the air conditioner compressor area of the rear balcony on the seventh floor to a ledge on the second floor, Bernama quoted him as saying in a statement. He said she suffered a fractured right thigh and multiple lacerations.
Free Malaysia Today
18 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Widower jailed 2 years for soliciting sex from teen daughter
The self-employed man pleaded guilty after the charge was read before Muar sessions court judge Sayani Nor. (File pic) PETALING JAYA : A 47-year-old widower has been sentenced to two years in jail and two strokes of the rotan for inviting his teenage daughter to engage in sexual acts. The self-employed man pleaded guilty after the charge was read before Muar sessions court judge Sayani Nor, Harian Metro reported. He was charged with sexually communicating with his 14-year-old daughter, his only child, at a house in Batu Pahat, Johor, at around 4pm on June 16. The charge was framed under Section 11(1)(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, punishable by a maximum three years in jail upon conviction. The charge was also read with Section 16 of the same Act, which provided for an additional sentence of up to five years and two strokes of the rotan due to the relationship of trust between him and the victim. Deputy public prosecutor Diyana Najihah Fauzi prosecuted while the man was unrepresented. According to the case facts, the victim contacted her aunt earlier this month to express fears that her father might act inappropriately towards her. On the day of the incident, the girl had rejected her father's advances and left his bedroom. The aunt then asked one of her children to pick the girl up from the house.
