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MISC
Berhad, in collaboration with the Royal
Malaysian Navy (RMN) and the National Security
Council (NSC), has successfully modified its
container ship Bunga Mas Lima into a RMN
Auxiliary Vessel for the purpose of escorting
and protecting MISC’s ships sailing through the
Gulf of Aden.
The Bunga Mas Lima, a 699 TEU containership, is
the first Malaysian merchant ship to be modified
as an Auxiliary Vessel for TLDM. The
modification work was carried out by Malaysia
Marine and Heavy Engineering Sdn Bhd (MMHE), the
heavy engineering arm of MISC, at MMHE’s yard in
Pasir Gudang, Johor.
The project was undertaken following last year’s
hijacking of MISC’s ships Bunga Melati Dua and
Bunga Melati 5 in the gulf. MISC, RMN and NSC
had joined forces in resolving the two
incidents. Since the incident, RMN launched OP
FAJAR, a rescue, escort and protection mission,
with the aim of ensuring the safe passage of all
MISC vessels in the Gulf of Aden. RMN has since
sent five ships, namely, KD LEKIU, KD SRI
INDERAPURA, KD MAHAWANGSA, KD SRI INDERA SAKTI
and KD HANG TUAH in support of that mission.
With the deployment of the Bunga Mas Lima as a
RMN Naval Auxiliary Vessel, RMN’s KD Sri
Inderapura, stationed in the Gulf of Aden will
return to Malaysia in June 2009.
According to international law, an auxiliary
ship is a ship other than a warship which is
owned or under the ruling control of the
military. It is operated by the government and
thus, the ship is accorded sovereign immunity.
RMN Auxiliary Vessel, Bunga Mas Lima, will be
manned by MISC’s personnel who had completed a
training programme with RMN. The MISC crew, now
with the roles as Navy Reservists, will be
responsible for the navigation and maintenance
of the vessel. Regular officers and men of RMN
will also be onboard the vessel to carry out all
security related operations.
For MISC, the operationalisation of Bunga Mas
Lima as a Naval Auxiliary Vessel is a testimony
of its long-term commitment to the safety of its
employees and vessels, particularly amidst the
concerns over the rising global piracy threats
that could jeopardise its operations in the Gulf
of Aden.
For RMN, the concept of operationalising Bunga
Mas Lima as a RMN Naval Auxiliary Vessel is an
important step in realising the dream of the
nation, in particular the Malaysian Armed Forces
which practices the concept of Pertahanan
Menyeluruh or Total Defense (HANRUH), as stated
in the National Defence Policy.
A ceremony to commemorate the successful
modification of the ship was held today at the
MMHE yard in Pasir Gudang. In attendance were
Datuk Dr. Abdul Latif bin Ahmad, Deputy Minister
of Defence, Malaysia, Laksamana Dato’ Seri Abdul
Aziz Haji Jaafar, Chief of Navy and En. Amir
Hamzah Azizan, President/CEO of MISC Berhad.
Source:
MISC Berhad
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