KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is expected to receive one of two Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) currently being built in China, in October 2019, says Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.
He said the two ships being built by China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co Ltd and Boustead Naval Shipyard were currently on the right track and according to schedule.
“I would like to inform that I am satisfied with the progress report of the acquisition of both ships.
We will get the first of two ships in October 2019.
“Another two LMS will be built in Malaysia after that.
This shows that the close cooperation between both countries (Malaysia-China) will continue to be strengthened in various aspects of cooperation, including security, investment, trade, education and tourism,” he said in a statement here yesterday.
The statement was issued by Hishammuddin, who is currently on a three-day working visit to China since on Friday.
On Nov 2 last year, Hishammuddin said the four LMS purchased by Malaysia from China in conjunction with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s official visit to the republic would be built by a joint venture.
On his working visit, Hishammuddin said he had conducted a meeting with the Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China, Meng Jianzhu and the State Councillor of the People’s Republic of China, Yang Jiechi and the republic’s Defence Minister General Chang Wanquan.
Hishammuddin, who is also Special Task Force Minister said among issues discussed in the meeting were security issues, especially the Daesh militant group movement and military cooperation between Malaysia and China. — Bernama