Defence Ministry Has No Objection To Locating Mawilla 4 In Bintulu - Mohamed Khaled
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 (Bernama) -- The Defence Ministry has no objection to the Sarawak government's request to establish the Royal Malaysian Navy's (RMN) Naval Region 4 Headquarters (Mawilla 4) in Bintulu instead of Muara Tebas, which was previously identified as the proposed site, said Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
"The Defence Ministry is considering the Sarawak government's request to reconsider locating Mawilla 4 in Bintulu.
"In principle, the ministry has no objection, and we will submit a National Security Council (NSC) meeting paper to the government for a decision on the proposed location of the headquarters in Bintulu," he said when winding up debate on the Supply Bill 2027 at the policy stage for the ministry in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Muara Tebas in Kuching had previously been identified as the site for Mawilla 4 after an earlier proposal to build the headquarters in Bintulu was revised due to several factors, including site suitability and marine infrastructure maintenance costs.
In a related development, Mohamed Khaled said the Malaysian Army had built and occupied eight new security posts along the Malaysia-Indonesia border between 2024 and 2026, with another expected to be completed this December.
He said two more posts were planned for construction in 2027 to strengthen border surveillance and improve the preparedness of security forces.
"These patrols are also supported by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or tactical drones, for aerial surveillance, particularly in areas that are difficult to access.
"In terms of technology, Security Intrusion Detection Systems are deployed at high-risk locations to detect intrusions and provide early warnings.
"Starlink, ConnectMe and X-band systems have also been installed at several security posts to strengthen communications and speed up the transmission of operational information," he said.
The government also plans to increase the deployment of Malaysian Armed Forces personnel in Sabah, taking into account the size of operational areas and local security requirements, he added.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Khaled said the government was expected to decide next month on a replacement missile system for the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) intended for the littoral combat ships (LCS), after Norway declined to approve an export licence for the system.
He said France, Italy and Türkiye had been identified as three potential supplier countries, while the government was also considering using the same missile system being procured for the littoral mission ships (LMS) to minimise additional costs.
"We have identified three countries, namely France, Italy and Türkiye. God willing, the government will make a decision next month," he said.
-- BERNAMA