LUMUT: The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) commemorated the bravery and indomitable spirit of Sarawak hero Sharif Mashor by naming its third Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) in his honour, successfully launching the vessel at the Lumut naval shipyard.
The official naming and launch ceremony was performed by the wife of Sarawak Governor, Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Fauziah Mohd Sanusi, featuring a symbolic Engine Order Telegraph demonstration.
Also in attendance at the event yesterday were Sarawak Governor Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari, Navy chief Admiral Tan Sri Dr Zulhelmy Ithnain and Lumut Naval Shipyard chief executive officer Azhar Jumaat.
Reading out Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin’s speech, Adly said that naming the vessel after the revered hero from Sarawak was a fitting tribute to his distinguished character, reported Bernama.
“Originally, the ruler of Sarikei, overseeing Batang Rejang, Sharif Mashor is believed to have come from Igan and married the sister of Pengiran Nipa,” he said.
“A hero renowned for his strong patriotic spirit, he had planned to resist the Brooke administration.”
He added that naming the ship after Sharif Mashor reflects its capabilities and stands as a symbol of the RMN’s strength and the Malaysian Armed Forces’ commitment to defend the nation’s sovereignty.
Construction of the ship began with the keel-laying ceremony on Nov 29, 2017, and it was technically launched at the naval shipyard on Jan 31, followed by tests and system refinements.
Meanwhile, the first LCS Maharaja Lela completed its maiden sea-going test on Jan 28, while the second one, named Raja Muda Nala, was launched and named by Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor, Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin, on July 3, 2025.
