TYT Sarawak and wife conclude official visit to Lumut, Perak
- BT
- Feb 11
- 3 min read
LUMUT, 11 February 2026: Sarawak’s Head of State, Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and his wife, Toh Puan Fauziah Mohd Sanusi, recently concluded a 2-day official visit to the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) base in Lumut, Perak, along with the accompanying minister, Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
The visit included an inspection of Malaysia’s maritime defence assets and key facilities around the RMN Lumut base, like the operational area at the Advanced Mission Support Ship (AMSS) Operations Jetty and KD Indera Sakti, which is scheduled to sail to India to take part in the Major 2026 Indian Navy Events (MILAN/IFR) in Visakhapatnam.
The official visit began with a Main Guard of Honour ceremony at the Western Fleet headquarters as a mark of the highest respect to TYT Sarawak, before proceeding to the Istana Hinggap Sultan Selangor for the signing of the official visitors’ book and an RMN operational briefing. They were briefed by the Chief of Navy Admiral Tan Sri (Dr) Zulhelmy Ithnain, who expanded on RMN’s operational capabilities and the role of its assets in safeguarding national maritime security.
A meet-and-greet session with Sarawakian RMN personnel was held at Dewan M. Sidek Shabudin, serving as an interactive platform between Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi, Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Fauziah and Sarawakian RMN personnel who are currently serving and residing at the base. During the session, 10 outstanding students were presented with gifts while 10 individuals suffering from chronic illnesses among the Sarawakian RMN community received contributions.
Meanwhile, the 3rd Littoral Combat Ship (LCS3) was launched by Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Fauziah at the Lumut Naval Shipyard (Lunas) on February 9, 2026, and featured a symbolic Engine Order Telegraph demonstration. The ship was named after renowned 19th-century Sarawakian warrior, Sharif Mashor, the legendary figure who defended Sarikei during the era of James Brooke.
A highly-respected individual appointed by the Sultan of Brunei as the Governor of Sarikei in Sungai Rajang, Sharif Mashor is renowned for his strong patriotic spirit, and naming the ship after reflects RMN’s strength and the Malaysian Armed Forces’ commitment to defending the nation’s sovereignty.
The ceremony included a simulation of the Engine Order Telegraph (EOT) being rejected, the symbolic sounding of the foghorn, a historical recitation by Azamin Itam, a pantomime by the Naval Special Forces (Paskal) and the presentation of a Parang Ijang, a traditional weapon passed down through generations of Iban warriors in Sarawak. The parang will be placed onboard the LCS3 as a lasting symbol of the vessel.
“The LCS3 represents national pride, as it is the first frigate-class ship to be entirely constructed by a local company, Lumut Navel Shipyard Sdn Bhd. Construction began with the keel-laying ceremony on November 29, 2017, and is now ready for launch. This achievement reflects the capabilities of local talents in realising the nation’s ambition to compete with defence industries on a global scale,” said Deputy Defence Minister, Adly Zahari, who represented Defence Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
“The naming Sharif Mashor has now been immortalised through the ship, and will serve as a symbol of the spirit of resilience and the strength of the RMN fleet and the armed forces as a whole.”
