Artefacts belonging to the HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales, which were seized from Vietnamese looters last year, will be exhibited at the Port Dickson Army Museum.

British High Commission representative in Malaysia, Warrant Officer Class 2 Neil Anderson said the ships were sunk by the Japanese Army on Dec 10, 1941 in the waters off Pahang.

“Our country is delighted to have the opportunity to showcase the artefacts at the army museum,” he told reporters after the handing over ceremony at the Kemaman Maritime Base here in the presence of Eastern Maritime Region director First Admiral (Maritime) Mamu Said Alee.

Artefacts worth about RM500,000 belonging to the British warships were seized last year following the arrest of a Vietnamese boat crew.

Meanwhile, museum director Lt Col Abd Rahman Mohamad said some of the artefacts would be handed over to the National Museum for public display.

“We expect the cleaning process of the artefacts to take a month and these historical treasures will be exhibited by the middle of this year. It is such an honour for us to have these artefacts in the museum.”

He added that this was the first time they had received such artefacts.

– BERNAMA