Maritime affairs and law expert Salawati Mat Basir called the maintenance of such ships an “impractical and unworkable exercise”.
“Other countries, such as Indonesia, already have the latest fleets, while we want to maintain our 40-year-old fleet,” she told FMT.
She said navy vessels typically have a lifespan of between 20 and 25 years, after which they should be replaced to keep up with technological advancements.
“As a maritime country, Malaysia needs the latest technology and ships to ensure safety and operational efficiency,” she said.
Salawati was commenting after the KD Pendekar, one of the navy’s attack craft, sprung a leak after hitting an underwater object and sank off the coast of Johor.
Following the Aug 25 incident, defence minister Khaled Nordin said inspections would be carried out on vessels in the navy’s fleet which are above 40 years old to ensure they are in good condition.
One-third of the navy’s fleet of ships is understood to fall within this category.
Khaled said the KD Pendekar was commissioned into service in 1979, making it 45 years old. However, he said the vessel’s age was not the main reason for the incident.
This is not the first time the age of Malaysia’s fleet has come under scrutiny. Last year, the Sultan of Selangor expressed concern over the condition of the navy’s fleet of vessels.
Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah called for all ageing assets to be replaced to ensure the country’s waters are constantly protected and that the navy is always in a state of readiness.
Meanwhile, Salawati said it is uncommon for navy vessels to sink as the KD Pendekar did, especially as they are typically equipped with sonar systems.
“This suggests that the wear and tear on the ship itself was a contributing factor to the sinking,” she said.
Defence expert Mizan Aslam echoed similar concerns, warning that it may be unsafe to operate navy vessels beyond their average lifespan of 25 years.
“We have 10 to 15 vessels over 40 years old, which is considered quite old. These vessels need thorough inspections because we cannot gamble with the lives of our navy officers,” he said.
Mizan proposed that Malaysia leverage its good relationships with countries like Turkey, China, Russia and European nations to lease maritime assets temporarily to ensure it has the capacity and capability to protect its shores.