Defence minister Khaled Nordin said the inspections would be carried out on a third of the navy’s fleet, that is about 10 to 15 vessels that are over 40 years old, to ensure they remain in good condition, Berita Harian reported.

He also revealed that the KD Pendekar had been in service since 1979.

“While it is true that the ship has been in operation since 1979, making it about 45 years old, that is not the main reason behind the incident.

“It appears the ship struck an object and the navy is still investigating the incident,” he told a press conference after an event at Kampung Sedili Kecil.

Meanwhile, Khaled said the government is making every effort to ensure that new ships being built for the fleet are completed on schedule.

“The first littoral combat ship (LCS) will be operational by 2026. We also expect to have five LCS vessels, one delivered in each subsequent year.

“For the littoral mission ships (from Turkey), we anticipate receiving them in October, November, and December 2027,” he added.

Yesterday, the Royal Malaysian Navy said the KD Pendekar had sunk two nautical miles southeast of Tanjung Penyusop, Johor, at 3.54pm. All 39 crew members were rescued safely and had not suffered any injuries in the incident.

Earlier, the navy said the leak was first detected in the ship’s engine room, with water rushing in and spreading uncontrollably throughout the vessel.

The crew’s efforts to stem the leak and stabilise the ship failed.

It had also said it will establish a special committee immediately to determine the cause of the incident.