SHAH ALAM: MMEA was all set to take delivery of its first locally built OPV – PCU Tun Fatimah – at the THHE Fabricators Sdn Bhd at Pulau Indah, Port Klang today (December 14, 2023), but the ceremony was cancelled at the last minute. The media including Malaysian Defence received the invitation for the ceremony around noon on December 13.
However, MMEA informed the media (early this morning) that the handing over ceremony – scheduled to start at 10am – had to be scrub as Home Ministry secretary-general Ruji Ubi – who was to officiate – had to attend an important meeting instead. No new date for the delivery has been fixed.
Honestly, I would have not posted about the cancellation but since Harian Metro had saw fit to publish the handing over ceremony based on the Note to Editor from MMEA, I had to say something. Especially when MMEA posted on it on its X account – the former social media known as Twitter.
I know NEs are fair game as stories for media but when there have been so many false starts with the OPV project, I decided to wait until the event was finished to write about it.
Anyhow, the decision to attend a meeting instead of the handing over ceremony – reveal the true nature of our leaders and civil servants with the security services and their assets. Tun Fatimah is an important asset for the short-handed MMEA and the quicker the delivery is done, the better it is. A ship which had not been handed over cannot -legally – conduct patrol of Malaysian waters. Perhaps the thinking is that since she is already 18 months late, what is wrong with a few more days?
Anyhow, MMEA is not fault for the delays in OPV1 delivery. It had no say in the decision to award the contract to THHE, it was the government that decided on the shipyard. Even the current government and the civil servants are not fault, really, but their attitude is really something. Honestly, it will be same if the other side is in power.
–Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (10)
If it's just a formality with a photo opportunity, doesn't seem like a problem since I understand, MMEA has already taken possession of the ship and has started using it. TBH, the practice of inviting a ranking official to a handover ceremony seems a waste of everybody's time. Few hours attending the event for a 5-minute moment and photographs. If the no-show is because the ship is still not ready, that would be an issue.
Yes, the ceremony should take five minutes, really.
Wonder what's d status of d remaining 2 opv ?
Continue it's construction work on d same dockyard under a different company or to b constructed elsewhere by another company?
Not sure wether it's true or not, 2 different persons told me that d major caused for d completion of Tun Aminah n d remaining 2 hulls started after d new gomen took over in may 2018 inclusive of them rearranged d payment n stoppage of payment,is it true Wallahualam.
From pictures posted elsewhere, which I cannot vouch for, they look the same as when I saw them in 2019.
"the decision to attend a meeting instead of the handing over ceremony"
Might have been something to do with the Cabinet revamp.
"but their attitude is really something. same if the other side is in power."
Which is why I said people should voted for the politician not the party/side.
The real horror is that while OPV1 is just remaining to handover, the other OPV2 & 3 are far far away in build stages, as their modules yet to be joined, it will be another couple of years before they can join OPV1.
Speaking of which, wasnt there intention to rename the class from Tun Fatimah?
Yes but her AIS is still KM Tun Fatimah.
You don't vote for SU. he's not a politician he's a civil servant
"her AIS is still KM Tun Fatimah"
*facepalm* Even her naming they cannot decide then why bother to change it? Are they going to delay the launch until they officiate her "real" name or will it be yet more embarrassment of Govt to make a change after being in use few months down the line? Why not just go back to naming it after royal towns? Oh wait that was a legacy of an exPM so they want to forget that.
Those in Govt real stupid wan. Is it even needed to change.
Why is it such a big thing with the AIS seeing its a government owned law enforcement ship and its original name is in fact KM Tun Fatimah? Seems like a procedural rather than a functional issue since when KM Tun Fatimah appears, people knows it is a MMEA ship. Also the ship is to my understanding already delivered to and in use by the MMEA. The practice of VIP photo op seems a waste of time unless its a multi billion dollar program.
Its a big thing because there was intention to change her/class name and doing it after taking delivery is such memalukan.
Its like taking delivery of your newborn and telling all the relative his name is Kel Jr but 1 month later you tell them he is now Jor El. People will go; WTF?!
If they cannot finally decide fast better not to change the nameship and rather alter the names for OPV 2&3 to their liking.