Fourth navy fleet to boost security
KOTA KINABALU: The Royal Malaysian Navy ( RMN) will strengthen security in East and Peninsular Malaysia following plans to create a new navy fleet in Sarawak.
Chief of Navy Admiral Tan Sri Ahmad Kamarulzaman Ahmad Badaruddin said the new navy fleet or naval region would be based in Bintulu, expected to be set up by April 2017.
“The plan is to have an Eastern Fleet and a Western Fleet for East and Peninsular Malaysia respectively. The Eastern Fleet will be headquartered in Sepanggar and it is planned that its chief will be a three- star admiral, while Naval Region Two and Naval Region Four will be under the command of the Eastern Fleet.
“The Western Fleet will remain headquartered in Lumut and the Naval Region One and Naval Region Three will be under the command of the Western Fleet,” he said at a press conference after decommissioning of the towing vessel KTD Kepah at the Sepanggar Naval Base yesterday.
Kamarulzaman however said that the plan to set up a fourth naval fleet was still in the initial stages and future announcements would be made soon, but he said he was optimistic that it would be implemented by April next year.
Currently, RMN has three naval regions, namely Region One based in Lumut, Region Two based in Sepanggar and Region Three based in Langkawi Island. The fourth will be Region Four based in Bintulu.
When asked to comment further on the setting up of the fourth naval region, Kamarulzaman said RMN had identified a fourhectare wide area at the Bintulu Port deemed suitable for a naval base and the Navy was working closely with relevant agencies to set up the base.
“In the short run, we are planning to place a unit at the Bintulu Port which will provide logistical supply to all RMN ships operating in Sarawak waters.
“RMN has also conducted talks with the Bintulu Port Authority (BPA) and the Bintulu Development Authority ( BDA) to inform them of our plans and needs,” he said, adding that the decision to place a team in Bintulu was now pending the approval of the BPA.
“If the BPA can make a decision for us to use their port and allow us to use some office space, then we can place our officers and personnel there,” he said, adding
The plan is to have an Eastern Fleet and a Western Fleet for East and Peninsular Malaysia respectively.
that the BDA had also agreed to provide three years of free housing to navy personnel.
Kamarulzaman added that although he was confident that the base could be set up by next year, there were still many other factors to be considered such as the fiscal performance of the country.
“If there are financial constraints, what we can do is to optimize whatever facilities available at the Bintulu Port.
“That way, there is no need for more development expenditure allocations because all we need is the existing infrastructure,” he said.
He also said that the reason for choosing Bintulu as a naval base was based on geopolitical and geostrategic factors that would enable the navy to conduct surveillance on key locations such as Beting Raja Jarom and Beting Patinggi Ali.
“Bintulu being in the middle of Sarawak’s coast line is seen as a strategic location for the navy to conduct surveillance and patrol in Sarawak waters.
“Besides, by creating a naval region in Bintulu, the oil and gas infrastructure in the region can be better protected,” he said.
Also present during the press conference was Naval Region Two chief Rear Admiral Datuk Khairul Anuar Yahya.
Admiral Tan Sri Ahmad Kamarulzaman Ahmad Badaruddin, Chief of Navy