Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution says Malaysia will inspect a second decommissioned US Coast Guard cutter before deciding whether to accept it.
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia is prepared to reject a second decommissioned United States Coast Guard cutter if it is deemed unseaworthy or too costly to refurbish, as the government weighs whether the vessel is worth taking on.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said a technical inspection would be carried out before any decision was made, with the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director-general instructed to lead specialists and engineers in assessing the vessel.
“They can make an offer, but we must be satisfied that the vessel is seaworthy.
“After inspecting it, our team must submit a recommendation on whether the government should accept the offer.
“If its seaworthiness is poor and the costs we have to bear are too high, it will become a burden and we will not agree,” he said after the Home Ministry’s monthly assembly yesterday.
The proposed transfer would be the second from the US Coast Guard after Malaysia received the former USCGC Steadfast, now known as KM Bendahara, last year. The cutter is currently operating in Sabah.
Saifuddin said Malaysia and the US had shared the cost of improving the first vessel, with the combined expenditure substantially lower than the cost of purchasing a new asset.
The US announced in October last year that Malaysia had been selected to receive a second decommissioned cutter, together with US$7 million in foreign military financing.
He added that MMEA needed more vessels to patrol Malaysia’s extensive waters and counter threats including arms, drug and human smuggling, the movement of undocumented migrants and incursions by foreign fishing vessels.
“How do we obtain the assets? One way is to buy them, but that depends on our means because it comes under development expenditure.
“The other is to receive them from countries with which we cooperate.”
He added that such cooperation could involve asset contributions, training, joint operations or intelligence sharing.
Separately, Saifuddin said he would travel to Istanbul at the end of this month to inspect two multi-purpose mission ships being built for MMEA by Turkiye’s Desan Shipyard.
He added that construction was progressing ahead of schedule, with the first vessel expected to arrive in Malaysia around March next year, before the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2027.
The second ship is targeted for delivery by the end of next year.
“Less than two years after the agreement was signed, the first ship is nearly ready.
“We are confident the Home Ministry made the right decision. The construction period is short, the price is reasonable and its progress is ahead of schedule.”
Saifuddin said the vessels would strengthen MMEA’s operational capabilities and boost personnel morale.
