SHAH ALAM: The Home Ministry has awarded the Letter of Award of US$68.8 million (some RM304 million) to Turkish firm, Desan Shipyard for the procurement of the Multi-Purpose Mission Ship (MPMS) for the MMEA in Istanbul, Turkiye, on March 21. The Home Ministry in a release today stated that its secretary-general Awang Alik Jeman signed the LOA with a representative of the company at a ceremony conducted at the shipyard. Also present at the ceremony was MMEA director-general Rosli Abdullah.
The release said the 99-meter ship has an endurance of thirty days and a crew of seventy and capable of carrying thirty passengers. The ship will be equipped with four interceptors, two UAV drones, a helo deck, medical and detention facilities. The MOU for the MPMS was signed on February 11.
It did not say whether the ship will be armed but from the CGI and model of the MPMS, we know that it will feature a single 30mm RWS, forward and two 12.7mm RWS aft. The release did not reveal the expected delivery date, but I am assuming it will be mid-2028, at the earliest.
Do note that the LOA amount (RM304 million) to Desan is some RM46 million short of the amount for the MPMS announced in the 2025 budget. The RM46 million is likely the money allocated for the government-furnished equipment (GFE) which may include the drones, guns, radios, and interceptors.
The release from the Home Ministry:
MAJLIS PENANDATANGANAN SURAT SETUJU TERIMA (SST) PEROLEHAN KAPAL MISI PELBAGAI GUNA (MPMS)
ISTANBUL, 22 Mac 2025 -YBhg. Datuk Awang Alik bin Jeman, Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) telah menyempurnakan majlis penandatanganan Surat Setuju Terima (SST) bagi perolehan Kapal Misi Pelbagai Guna yang berlangsung di Desan Shipyard, Turkiye, semalam. Majlis penandatanganan perjanjian perolehan Multi Purpose Mission Ship (MPMS) ini adalah untuk Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia selaras dengan usaha meningkatkan keupayaan operasi Maritim Malaysia bagi memastikan keselamatan maritim negara, khususnya di Laut China Selatan.
Kapal canggih bernilai USD68.8 juta ini bakal menjadi aset penting untuk memperkukuhkan keupayaan operasi Maritim Malaysia, khususnya di kawasan strategik Laut China Selatan. Kapal sepanjang 99 meter ini mampu beroperasi selama 30 hari tanpa henti, membawa sehingga 70 orang kru dan 30 orang penumpang serta dilengkapi kemudahan moden seperti empat bot pemintas pantas, dua dron UAV, dek pendaratan helikopter, fasiliti perubatan dan pusat tahanan.
Perolehan ini bukan sahaja mencerminkan hubungan erat antara Malaysia dengan Turkiye dalam sektor pertahanan dan pembinaan kapal, malah membuktikan komitmen kedua-dua negara untuk menangani ancaman keselamatan maritim seperti pencerobohan vesel asing, aktiviti penangkapan ikan haram, penyeludupan dan pemerdagangan manusia.
Majlis pemeteraian perjanjian ini ialah sebahagian daripada rentetan sesi pertukaran dokumen rasmi yang disaksikan oleh YAB Datuk Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim, Perdana Menteri Malaysia dan TYT Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Presiden Turkiye ketika lawatan rasmi pemimpin Turkiye itu ke Malaysia pada 11 Februari lalu.
Delegasi Malaysia yang turut disertai oleh YBhg. Laksamana Maritim Datuk Haji Mohd Rosli bin Abdullah, Ketua Pengarah Maritim Malaysia turut mengadakan lawatan ke ibu pejabat dan limbungan selenggara Desan Shipyard, bagi melihat keupayaan dan kemampuan syarikat berkenaan dalam pembinaan kapal.
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Long overdue but a step in the right direction. The MMEA has to get past its hand me down aged and worn out expensive and troublesome to sustain assets quandary. Looking at the design it should have the space to operate more than a pair of UASs. The problem might be stowage space.
Thought they are able to get the MPMS because sometimes ago they said the ad hoc innovation that is the PETRONAS gifted seabase is expensive to run and not flexible enough
At the end nothing beat off the shelf proven platform in term of cost and operational capabilities.
Any idea on the tonnage?
Zaft – “they said the ad hoc innovation that is the PETRONAS gifted seabase is expensive to run and not flexible enough”
But the assets acquired from Petronas serve slightly diffrent purpose.
Zaft – “At the end nothing beat off the shelf proven platform in term of cost and operational capabilities”
In general yes but only if the said kit meets actual requirements. No point getting something off the shelf and “proven” [itself a subjective term which has become cliche] if it does not meet requirements or causes grief to maintain]. There is a tendency to assume what works for others will with for us, variables to consider.
I think around 3000 tonnes.
Hope we actually procure several more not just this one only
” Hope we actually procure several more not just this one only ”
The current plan is for 3
This single example is paid for with the budget within RMK12 2021-2025
Another 2 ships will be paid for in RMK13 2026-2030 budget
IMO another 3 more should also be bought in RMK14 2031-2035 that could replace ships such as the ex-USCG WMEC Reliance class ships (that we still haven’t gotten as of now)
The cost of 3 MPMS is actually similar to 1 of TLDM new LMS B2 STM Turkiye Corvette.
Securing our maritime zones from the incursions of foreign Coast Guard vessels should be the main task of our own Coast Guard, not our navy like what we prioritise right now.
https://www.malaysiandefence.com/lms-batch-2-is-the-result-of-chinas-intrusion-into-malaysias-eez/
When we actually empower our own Coast Guard to counter foreign Coast Guards, using proper ships such as the MPMS instead of missile armed corvettes, the costs are much more cheaper, while diplomatically and within international law this is a much more proper response.
As i have listed out in other articles here, the cost to properly equip APMM to properly do its primary task is not high at all. In all it probably cost less than half a billion dollars to buy new large OPVs for APMM from now up till 2040 to properly undertake its primary tasks.
Somewhat confusing at first, but a quick Google check confirms there is Desan and there is Dearsan. Dearsan has a nice 142m frigate design in their catalogue.
Yes there is the Dearsan shipyard as well which is more active than Desan actually in shipbuilding. Dearsan also has various ship designs compared to Desan.
Is there any news on the 2 remaining Tun Fatimah class ships that aren’t finished yet? Is it canceled?
… – “Securing our maritime zones from the incursions of foreign Coast Guard vessels”
It’s not only Chinese ships buy fishing ships from other countries in areas apart from the Spratlys. Amidst all the sensationalism over China its often overlooked we also have unresolved over lapping maritime boundaries with others.
Wasn’t Chinese fisherman who overpowered a MMEA man and brought him to the mainland. Wasn’t the Chinese who rammed a ship, came close to opening fire on a FAC, pointed guns at a Lynx [was shown on national TV] or who asked that a CO of a MCMV be extradited. China is a major concern isn’t the only one. For the past few decades threat perceptions have been driven by one particular neighbour. Ask any retired or serving senior official.
As I reported previously, they are waiting to tender to complete the two ships. Do not think they have the funds for this year though.
Azlan “For the past few decades threat perceptions have been driven by one particular neighbour. Ask any retired or serving senior official.”
Just because some time ago in the post cold war peace dividend era a certain state is perceived as the main threat doesn’t mean they continue to be so currently or going forward. afterall A lot had happened in that few decades. They had gone through democratization and had reorganizing their governance and economy through that period
Hulu “When we actually empower our own Coast Guard to counter foreign Coast Guards, using proper ships such as the MPMS instead of missile armed corvettes, the costs are much more cheaper, while diplomatically and within international law this is a much more proper response.”
Do you even read the link you yourself posted? It’s says so right there
“LMS Batch 1 currently deployed in the Eastern Fleet are small and are capable as a Patrol Vessel only (no full capability combatants), as well as less suitable for operating in the open sea.”
And you grand idea is to double down on a failed concept that is LMS1? For what? To safe enough money only to throw it away (in RAN experience a bottomless pit of black hole) to pay for R&D for some paper subs with paper aip and paper li-iOn battery?
Here’s a better idea. Wait a few years until some sucker had paid fully the R&D for the various sub they are actively building then have them compete to supplies its to you and get yourself something off the shelf at much lower cost and risk while not having to sacrifice your surface combatants capabilities in the process.
Even if the MMEA had 500 OPVs the RMN like most navies would still have certain peacetime constabulary type roles. Also, until the MMEA can totally assume the burden the RMN is the only entity which can assist.
As it stands the reality is that the MMEA is under resourced and also needs to expand or improve its shore support infrastructure. It also needs various other things in addition to ships. The C4ISR thing is a good step.
Zaft – “Just because some time ago in the post cold war peace dividend era a certain state is perceived as the main threat”
Thanks for the update but some things don’t change and we may not see it as a threat but a challenge or a concern. Note the nuance.
Let me ask you this, which is the 1st country or one of the 1st which newly elected PMs visit? Which country is the largest in the region, the one with a big economy and one which borders us to the west, south westwards, south eastwards and eastwards? Which country has a EEZ which bulges into the South China Sea between the sea lanes separating West and East Malaysia? Why are we in private not really bothered or too concerned about a strong SAF? Answer: as a check against a certain country. Also, do you really believe that all the focus we are giving ESSCOM or Sabah, including the rasing of a new division is driven by concerns over the Royal Sulu Army?
If still in doubt do make the effort to ask around.
Another thing, that country was a concern even before the “post Cold War dividend” [your quote]. Who were the 1st countries in ASEAN to have naval exercises, followed by tri service ones? Why did we see the need to have confidence building measures.
On the LMS Batch 1s they may only be armed with guns and have other limitations but are an improvement over the FACs when it comes to sea keeping.
” RMN is the only entity which can assist ”
Keyword here is assist
Right now TLDM is the leading service assigned by the government to counter the chinese coast guard and other constabulary duties, with it many new boats in the past few years are bought / refitted-upgraded primarily for that mission.
The proper way is to actually buy stuff for APMM in the 1st place to counter the Chinese Coast Guard.