After pistol, firm aims for more locally-made firearms

KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian company has created the country’s first semi-automatic pistol.

The Malinnov M1P is designed and manufactured by Aegis Malinnov Sdn Bhd and will be launched before the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) next year.

Company managing director Mohd Johari Mohd Noor said the M1P will be priced 20% cheaper than international brands, adding that they were looking at RM4,000 a piece.

“We will launch it as soon as we receive approval. God willing, we will be able to launch it before LIMA next year,” he said at the Defence Services Asia (DSA) Exhibition and Conference 2016 here yesterday.

Chairman Tan Sri Datuk Hashim Meon said the company aimed to get patent approval to market the pistol internationally in the next two to four years.

Mohd Johari is a proponent of firearms that are made by Malaysians.

“The M1P was designed by Malaysians and manufactured in Malaysia. We have also developed our own rifling machine, which is used to make weapons.

“Currently, we have produced two variants of the pistols,” he said.

“The first is to be used for military and law enforcement purposes. The second variant is for competitive sports shooting,” Mohd Johari added.

Aside from pistols, Aegis Malinnov is also designing rocket-propelled grenades and mortar launchers.

Hashim also said that the company was collaborating with the National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM) in weapons designing.

He said although the company was formed in 2012, it preferred to be low-profile and let its end-products show what they could do.

Among the visitors who had a first look at the Malaysian-made pistol yesterday were Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.