LUMUT: The Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor, Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin, officiated the launching and naming ceremony of the second Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) owned by the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) at the RMN Base here yesterday.
The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, also graced the ceremony.
The vessel was named Raja Muda Nala, and as a symbolic gesture, water kept in a jar and blessed with Surah Yasin recitations from nine mosques, representing Selangor’s nine districts, was released onto the ship’s bow.
The naming and launching of a ship is a naval tradition dating back to the founding of the UK’s Royal Navy, serving as an identity before a new vessel is officially commissioned into service.
Also present were Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari, Chief of Defence Forces Jen Tan Sri Mohd Nizam Jaffar, Navy Chief Admiral Tan Sri Dr Zulhelmy Ithnain, Air Force Chief Jen Datuk Muhamad Norazlan Aris and Lumut Naval Shipyard (Lunas) chief executive officer Azhar Jumaat.
Meanwhile Adly, when delivering the speech on behalf of Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, said the name Raja Muda Nala was chosen in honour of a renowned national warrior who led the people of Selangor in resisting Dutch control.
He said the name symbolises the determination, courage and fighting spirit of the warrior in defending the sovereignty of Selangor.
“In this context, the valour, struggle and bravery of Raja Muda Nala are seen as highly fitting and aligned with the capabilities of the RMN’s Littoral Combat Ship, which is designed to face a wide range of threats in modern warfare,” he said.
He also said the procurement of littoral combat ships is part of RMN’s strategic plan to enhance fleet readiness through the acquisition of high-tech, combat-capable assets with multi-mission capabilities to safeguard the country’s maritime sovereignty.
Adly added that LCS 2 is a symbol of national pride as it is the first frigate-class ship to be fully constructed by a local company, Lunas.
