LANGKAWI: Malaysia’s first forward operating base modified out of a decommissioned oil platform in the Sulu Sea east of Sabah will be in place by early next month, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.
He said the base was being created and paid for by Petronas and SapuraKencana Petroleum Berhad.
Hishammuddin spoke to reporters today on the second day of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace 2015 (LIMA’15) Exhibition on this resort island.
He also said that work to modify a decommissioned merchant vessel into a mobile forward operating base was almost complete and it was expected to be ready in a few months.
Hishammuddin said these two forward operating bases would enable the country’s security forces to respond faster during an emergency compared to getting mobilised from a land base. -- BERNAMA