KUALA LUMPUR: Two United States light combat ships that docked at a Penang port over the weekend had complied with established Malaysian procedures, Defence Minister Khaled Nordin said on Tuesday (Mar 17).
But despite this reassurance, opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) has called on the federal government to provide a detailed explanation on the presence of the US naval assets in Malaysian waters.
On Sunday, the two littoral combat ships were spotted docked at Penang’s North Butterworth Container Terminal, some 5,600km from the Persian Gulf, with photos of the ships circulating widely on social media, reported local news outlets.
A littoral combat ship is a relatively small surface vessel designed for operations in near-shore environments.
Financial Times had also reported that the two vessels – USS Tulsa and USS Santa Barbara – had made “brief logistical stops” in Malaysia, citing a US Fifth Fleet spokesperson.
Both vessels were reportedly configured for minesweeping duties and previously deployed in the Middle East after arriving in Bahrain within the past year to replace decommissioned Avenger-class mine hunters.
On Tuesday, Khaled said that all naval vessels worldwide routinely make port calls before continuing on to their destinations.
“These stops allow for logistical arrangements such as replenishments. Any foreign naval vessel must submit a request through its country to the Royal Malaysian Navy, which forwards it to the Foreign Ministry for approval,” Khaled was quoted as saying by the News Straits Times.
Meanwhile, PN secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said reports of US naval presence has led to concerns over Malaysia contradicting its neutral stance in the Middle East conflict, potentially “undermining public confidence and the country’s international image”.
He added that this raised questions on Malaysia’s role in facilitating or being indirectly involved in military operations linked to the conflict, though PN welcomed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s stance that Malaysia would play no part in the war.
