KD TUN RAZAK ENTERS MALAYSIAN WATERS

KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 (Bernama) -- KD Tun Razak, the Royal Malaysian Navy
(RMN)'s second of two Scorpene submarines, entered the national waters, today.
The submarine, which was launched by Queen Tuanku Nur Zahirah on Oct 8,
2008, is heading for the Lumut naval base for an official homecoming ceremony,
Friday.

The ceremony will be graced by the Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah and the
Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah who is also RMN
captain-in-chief.

Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Armed Forces chief Azizan Ariffin
will also be present.

Manned by a crew of 31, KD Tun Razak, which was named after second prime
minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, can reach diving depths of up to 300 metres.


KD Tun Razak left for home from Madrid after successful sea trials. The
country’s first submarine, KD Tunku Abdul Rahman, arrived at Port Klang on Sept
3 last year.

Malaysia acquired both Scorpene submarines at the cost of RM3.4 billion
(US$1.05 billion) (US$1=RM3.22) in 2002 and they were built jointly by France's
Direction des Constructions Navales Services and Spain's Navantia.

Both diesel-electric powered submarines of the Perdana Menteri (Prime
Minister)-class will operate out of their main base — Teluk Sepanggar in East
Malaysia Sabah-state.

A crew of 142 underwent training at Brest, France to prepare them for
Scorpene duties.

-- BERNAMA




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