HULU SELANGOR: More than 500 locally manufactured land vehicles will be delivered to the Malaysian Army in stages from the end of October until 2028, says Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
He said the 536 vehicles, comprising 18 variants, are being produced by local defence company High Point Worldwide Sdn Bhd (HPWW).
Mohamed Khaled said the procurement reflected the ministry’s push to strengthen Malaysia’s defence industry by giving local companies a bigger role in supplying military assets.
He said government contracts awarded to local companies were not assessed solely on their ability to produce and deliver assets, but also on their contribution towards developing the wider defence industry ecosystem.
“For this company, we are grateful that currently, 15% of its workforce comprises veterans.
“We will also look at other companies that receive contracts from the ministry to ensure that they take responsibility for providing and creating employment opportunities for Armed Forces veterans,” he said.
He was speaking at a press conference after a working visit to inspect HPWW’s vehicle production plant here on Wednesday (Oct 7).
The visit was aimed at assessing the company’s capabilities in supporting the country’s defence requirements and advancing the objectives of the National Defence Industry Policy.
During the visit, Mohamed Khaled also officiated the naming of HPWW’s locally manufactured three-tonne general service cargo truck, which will be known as RENTAS.
He said the ministry also welcomed HPWW’s efforts to develop two types of locally manufactured chassis for defence vehicles, provided they met Malaysian Army specifications.
If the chassis passed the required tests, he said, they could potentially be used as the basis for other vehicles procured in future and help reduce costs.
“We want to establish that at least 30% of every asset we purchase must comprise local components.
“For land vehicles, the chassis accounts for about 30% of the components in a vehicle. Therefore, we welcome the company’s efforts to develop local chassis,” he said.
Mohamed Khaled said the two chassis were expected to be completed in April and October respectively before undergoing evaluation.
He said the ministry also wanted defence companies to develop networks of local vendors to supply components such as lights, tyres and other smaller parts.
“In the past, when we awarded a contract, that was it; we would simply wait for the vehicles to arrive.
“But today, when we award a contract, we want to see all these added-value elements successfully implemented because they are important to the country’s local defence industry,” he said.
