Navy to strengthen Eastern and Western fleets in Sabah
KOTA K INABALU: The Royal Malaysian Navy ( RMN) continues to strengthen its east coast region with the arrival of Kapal Diraja ( KD) Kelantan at the Sepanggar Naval Base Eastern Fleet Administration yesterday.
RMN Eastern Fleet commander Datuk Syed Zahiruddin Putra Syed Osman said KD Kelantan would be stationed in Sabah to strengthen both the Eastern Fleet and Western Fleet.
“The arrival of KD Kelantan is expected to improve the security and defence line of both regions ( Eastern Fleet and Western Fleet) as well as to transform the image of the Royal Malaysian Navy,” he said on the arrival of KD Kelantan at the Sepanggar Naval Base Eas tern F leet Administration.
KD Kelantan docked at the Sepanggar Naval Base at 9am, with 110 officers and crewmen who were previously serving at the Lumut Naval Base.
Syed Zahiruddin said since the new generation patrol vessel was commissioned on May 6, 2010, it had been involved in various mi s sions and op er at ions , including the search and rescue of the ill-fated Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 in 2014.
KD Kelantan was also involved in various exercises including Angkasa Samudera ( ANGSA), Oper at ion S e a T r a i n i n g ( OSTEX), Taming Sari, Pangkor Wa r, Mal aysi a - Singapore ( MALAPURA) and bilateral exercises.
“KD Kelantan was of ten used as a VVIP platform for official events and visits from Malaysian dignitaries as well as having received the Honorable Commander of the Navy in 2012,” said Syed Zahiruddin.
KD Selangor, another vessel belonging to the RMN, was transferred from Lumut to the Eastern Fleet Administration early January this year, while two more vessels, KD Pahang and KD Terengganu are expected to follow suit by next year.