Salawati Mat Basir of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia said there is an urgent need for the country to procure more navy ships as its waters are exposed to external threats, especially following recent encroachments by foreign vessels.

“The defence system and maritime surveillance must be prioritised, with vessels equipped with state-of-the-art technology.

“This would be a more effective solution than continuously maintaining old ships that are prone to issues,” she told FMT.

The national budget is set to be tabled on Oct 18.

A significant portion of the navy’s fleet – including the KD Pendekar, which sank off the coast of Johor in August – is said to be over 40 years old.

Salawati said it would cost Putrajaya more in the long run to maintain the navy’s ageing vessels, as they would be in need of continuous upgrades.

“Maintaining old ships is costly, and eventually they will run into the same issues.”

Recognise contributions of ex-cops

Meanwhile, Mokhtar Omar, president of the Malaysian ex-policemen’s association, has called on the government to provide a special RM500 monthly allowance for those who served during the Malayan Emergency, between 1948 and 1960, as well as the communist insurgency between 1963 and 1989.

“These former policemen and their widows deserve financial support as recognition for their contributions during these conflicts,” he said.

Mokhtar also highlighted the poor living conditions of many retired policemen, particularly those in the East Coast states, noting that their homes frequently suffer damage due to floods.

Many of these homes, he said, are in terrible condition due to annual flooding, yet they only receive one-off cash assistance of RM300 each time.

“The amount is insufficient to cover repair costs,” he said.

Mokhtar called on the government to establish a special fund with consistent annual allocations to assist these former policemen.