The latest model of the Batch 2 Frigate shown during DSA
KUALA LUMPUR: Najib will be in London from this Monday to attend a Commonwealth Mini-sunnit and other matters.
One must keep their ears to the ground whenever the DPM and Defence Minister visits London. Why? From past experience we know that some contracts or potential contracts were finalised during such visits.
Most of it were never reported of course like the decision to go ahead with the design of the Batch 2 Frigates, about two years ago.
Perhaps this time, Najib will be the bearer of bad tidings to BAE Systems with the expected deferment of the Batch 2 Frigates. He could however confirmed the funding for the Nuri Replacement Tender to the helicopter manufacturers.
Anyways, Malaysian Defence will keep his ears open and if you do heard something, lets us know.
Story from Bernama:
Najib To Attend Commonwealth Mini-Summit
LONDON, June 7 (Bernama) — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will arrive here tomorrow to attend a two-day mini-summit of the Commonwealth’s heads of government here begining Monday.
The mini-summit to be attended by 12 Commonwealth heads of government is to seek reformation of international institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
According to the Commonwealth Secretariat’s website, the meeting is the first step in implementing one of the decisions of the November 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to establish a small representative group of the 53-member grouping to undertake lobbying and advocacy for the reform of international institutions.
Themed “Reform of International Institutions” the meeting will focus on practical steps which Commonwealth member states can take to achieve reform and coherence of global institutions such as the IMF and World Bank.
To be held at the Commonwealths headquarters at Marlbourough House, it will be chaired by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
On the sidelines of the gathering, Najib and other leaders are expected to call on Brown at his office at 10, Downing Street here Monday evening.
Earlier in the day, Najib is expected to call on the Lord Mayor of the City of London David Lewis at his office at the Mansion House here.
On Wednesday, the deputy prime minister will be delivering a talk on “Malaysia’s Response to New Global Challenges” at the Chatham House, the home of the Royal Institute of International Affairs.
The talk jointly organised by the institute and Asean-United Kingdom Business Forum (AUBF), would touch on Malaysia’s direction in light of current and future challenges in the global economic and political scenarios, said the institute in its website.
It said Najib is expected to elaborate on Malaysias continued role in Asean and the Asia region as well as being an important voice of the developing world.
Wednesday Najib, who is also the Defence Minister will be meeting members of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment (RMR) personnel, who have been here since April to perform the prestigious “London Public Duties”.
It includes guarding the official residence of the British Monarch, the Buckingham Palace. Malaysia is the fourth Commonwealth nation, after Canada, Australia and Jamaica to be performing the Public Duties in England.
The 75-year-old division of the Malaysia Armed Forces which among others participated in the Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Buckingham Palace, would end their sojourn in London on June 12.
Najib will meet the troops at Wellington Barracks in Central London, within a short distance of Buckingham Palace and witness the changing-of- guards with the Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlains office, Lt Col Andrew Ford.
While here, Najib will be also be launching a JomMakan Restaurant, which was set up under the Malaysian Kitchen Programme. Its is located at Pall Mall East street here.
JomMakan London, is a prototype restaurant of Malaysia Kitchen Quick Service Restaurant (QSR), and is operated by Malaysia International Franchise Sdn Bhd (MyFranchise), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Perbadanan Nasional Berhad.
MyFranchise through JomMalaysia (UK) Limited, has developed three business concepts, namely Speciality Restaurants, Quick Service Restaurants and Fine Dining Restaurants for the MalaysiaKitchen Programme, the company said in a statement.
The project is a Malaysian government initiative to promote not ony Malaysian cuisine abroad, but also the country’s culture, handicrafts and agriculture products apart from attract more foreign tourist to visit Malaysia.
— BERNAMA
—Malaysian Defence
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Is Rosmah with him? If she goes to Paris, Cougar will probably win. If she does not or goes on to Milan….AW have it in the bag.
Simon
Most probably. The Datin goes everywhere. He may go to Eurosatory this time but a clearer indication may well be if he doesnt go to Farnborough next month.
All indications are at the moment pointing to the Cougar….
Lets just hope that he will not make any surprise announcement regarding our new acquisition i.e new frigate. The frigate will be way out-dated by the time it will be introduced to the service around 2011. We should opt to more advanced frigate available in the market with more state-of-the-art designs,weaponry,radar,and systems.
In his speech at a forum yesterday, Najib called on the British PM to visit Malaysia soon. He said the last time a British PM visited was in 1993 and hoped that a visit will be made soon.
Uh,oh, after the 1993 visit, we bought the Hawks and Jebat frigates. Will another visit will lead to another frigate buy?
Well we should be wondering bout that. He is a man with full of surprises (especially when it comes to his decision on buying new ‘toys’). I will not be surprised if he announces BAE is the winner since there is no other competitor were asked to come up with their proposals. As far as i concern, there were no open tender for the new frigate,just G2G talk over the past couple year. So beware when u heard any news that the British PM coming here.
Well…with BAe already sweating for the Saudi Typhoons, it would be pretty easy to drop the dime to a friendly Tory and have them extend the scope of inquiry. Maybe they will even open up the Starburst deal……:) and fry MBDA.
Simon
Even if they did signed for the Batch 2 Frigates tomorrow, I still stand by my earlier wager that the ships would not be ready for service until 2015. They always try to be a penny wise but pound foolish when it comes to buying defence….
oo..i tot the frigate were the deal where LSE ( labuan shipyard) JV with BAE ..not that one?
It is indeed aYoungMsia. Its the idea of building the ship locally using our own expertists. Well, i doubt it since the aftermath of our NGPV fiasco. If the deal is materialized, i think we will see another national programs that will cost us more than what we should spend on 2 ships. Lets anticipate RM6 billion for 2 Frigate Batch 2. Well, my sole opinion we are able to buy a better ships than what the BAE proposed. Yet another thing should be put into consideration is the cost of building it locally. I am not against the whole idea but it seems irrational at the moment. Its good to have our local engineers involvement in the ship building process but the question is,is this the best option we have? Build locally so that it can be called made in Malaysia? We can send the engineers to the BAE facilities instead, to learn and perhaps master the skills. It will cost us less. We have seen what happened to NGPV program which the cost was skyrocketing during the program and I believe we do not want that to repeat, at least not within our concern.
Did you know that Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has started his own website on 16 september (yesterday) and today Datuk Seri Najib has been appointed Finance Minister ? Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak Website Blog – The Next PM ?
Lets see what happens next.
Marhalim: Yes, we know, see my latest post. On the Najib website, I have not accessed it yet so no comment..