Last Post For The Landys?

FFRIUN — A Land Rover Defender FFR and another Landy out on patrol in Lebanon. JFC

SHAH ALAM: Last post for the Landys? It appears that the Land Rover Defender days with the Malaysian Army is near the end. The writing is on the wall as the Defence Ministry has issued another tender for the procurement of 151 one-tonne general services cargo 4X4 vehicles.

A Land Rover Forward Repair Truck which is equipped with a crane. It is one of the dwindling number of specialty Land Rovers still in service with the Army.

The tender notice says the RFB was part of the Army Mobility III programme which is the service’s latest vehicle recapitalisation project. The tenders for various engineering vehicles posted here is also part of the same programme. Another RFB advertised as part of Mobility III was for the supply of three 30 tonnes 6X4 low loaders with trailers to transport engineering vehicles.

The Hilux 1-Tonne GS Cargo 4X4 truck manufactured by Go Auto Sales Sdn Bhd. TD picture

The RFB for the one-tonners advertised on May 31, closes on June 22. The specifications are basically the same as the one for the same vehicles under the urgent operational requirement of Op Benteng. That tender for 63 one-tonne GS cargo 4X4 vehicles was awarded to Go Auto Sales Sdn Bhd, which offered a modified version of the Toyota Hilux 2.7 litre pick-up. The contract value is RM10.8 million. The single cab truck can carry eight soldiers in eight seats in the rear compartment.

A rear view picture of the PDRM one-tonne GS cargo truck manufactured by Go Auto Sales which is similar to the vehicles supplied to the Army. Go Auto picture

It must be noted that the Army had also purchased 151 one-tonners from Deftech in 2020 as part of the Mobility II Programme, the previous recapitalisation project. Deftech contract was listed at RM24 million. Based on this contract, the new one-tonners should be cheaper or even the same though as it is an open for competition, another company could be selected. As Deftech subsidiary in DRB-Hicom assembled Isuzu pickups , it is likely that this was the truck selected for the Mobility II tender and perhaps for the new RFB as well. Deftech sold the Isuzu pickup for the PDRM one-tonne GS cargo requirement as well.

Deftech one-tone GS 4X4 supplied to the PDRM. It is likely the same make of truck will be supplied for Mobility II programme of the Army. PDRM called this vehicles Guna Sama, a literal translation of the General Service designation.

The first company to supply a one-tonne GS cargo other than a Land Rover was Global Komited Sdn Bhd which supplied the Isuzu pickup to the Army by 2012. The company designated vehicle as the Weststar LTV though the Army simply called it the Isuzu GS Cargo. The company later offered the GK-M1 4X4 vehicles to replace the Landys including specialty variants like the Fitted For Radio and weapons carrier for the Army. The Army has since selected Putrajaya based Cendana Auto to supplement these vehicles.

Weststar LTV built by Global Komited on display at DSA 2012. It is an Isuzu DMAX chassis.

With the latest order, the Army is set to operate 365 one-tonners together with an unknown number of GK-M1s and GK Isuzus already in service in the near future. Therefore it is likely that the Defenders still in service in the Army will be retired within next year or so.

A variant of the GK-MK1 Fitted For Radio. Weststar

It is interesting to note that at least two Landys configured for parade inspection have been retired and gifted to royal households as display pieces.