Lumut: The government has expressed satisfaction with the ongoing construction of the five littoral combat ships (LCS), despite encountering some delays. Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin announced that the completion rate currently stands at 73 percent, with a delay of 1.68 percent attributed to the original equipment manufacturer (OEM).

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the minister made these remarks during a press conference following his visit to the LUNAS (Lumut Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd) shipyard, accompanied by the Armed Forces chief, the secretary-general, and the navy chief. This was Mohamed Khaled’s second visit to the site, underscoring the importance of the LCS project for the nation. He emphasized the significance of obtaining direct information from the ministry to counter false accusations and assumptions.

During the visit, Mohamed Khaled’s delegation was briefed on the progress at the shipyard and expressed satisfaction with the work being carried out. He announced that one LCS is scheduled to be handed over to the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) in August 2026, with the construction of LCS two, three, four, and five progressing according to their respective schedules. LCS two is expected to be launched in May and handed over by April 2027, while LCS three is anticipated to launch in January 2026.

In addition to discussing the LCS project, Mohamed Khaled shared that contributions totaling RM312,000 were presented to the families of the victims of last year’s RMN helicopter tragedy. A contribution for the maintenance of RMN houses amounting to RM70.44 million, with RM28.71 million allocated for the Lumut camp, was also announced.