Lim Guan Eng cites fresh LCS delays in renewing scrutiny of Zahid’s ‘please implement’ note

Lim Guan Eng cites fresh LCS delays in renewing scrutiny of Zahid’s ‘please implement’ note



DAP’s Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng cited fresh findings in the 2026 Auditor-General’s Report in renewing questions over the Littoral Combat Ship project. — Bernama pic


Summary

• In highlighting renewed scrutiny of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's role in the procurement process, DAP's Lim Guan Eng cited fresh delays in Malaysia's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) project, currently 7.55% behind schedule.
• The project's restructuring saw the order reduced to five ships and costs rise to RM11.22 billion.
• This latest delay raises concerns about potential obsolescence of the technology by the 2035 target for full operational readiness.
• The Auditor-General's Report stresses the implications these delays may have on the delivery schedule and operational capabilities of the LCS vessels.

First Published: Tuesday, 06 Oct 2026 10:28 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 — DAP’s Lim Guan Eng today cited fresh delays to Malaysia’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) project in renewing scrutiny of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s role in the procurement when he was defence minister.

In a statement, the Bagan MP referred to the latest findings in the 2026 Auditor-General’s Report, which found that the RM11.22 billion project was 7.55 per cent behind schedule as of June 25.


Lim also referred to a July 8, 2010 letter from Boustead Naval Shipyard (BNS) to Ahmad Zahid, then defence minister, seeking a letter of intent from the government for the LCS project.


A handwritten note attributed to Ahmad Zahid on the letter read: “SUB [Division Secretary] Procurement, please implement.”


“The words ‘please implement’ continue to haunt Ahmad Zahid Hamidi over the RM11.22 billion purchase of five LCS,” Lim said.

The letter was among documents contained in a report by the Special Investigation Committee on Governance, Procurement and Finance that was declassified in 2022.

According to the latest Auditor-General’s Report, progress on the LCS project was 7.55 per cent behind schedule as of June 25, with delays ranging from 30 to 108 days.


The report said the delay could affect the physical handover of LCS 1, which had initially been scheduled for August 26 and now has a revised target date of December 26.

It also said the ship could be handed over without full operational capability because training and weapons systems had yet to be completed.

Full operational readiness for the programme depends on a supplementary contract that is expected to be completed in December 2035, beyond the April 25, 2030 expiry of the main contract.

The Auditor-General also said delays to LCS 1 could affect the delivery schedule for the remaining four vessels.

Lim said the longer timeline raised questions over whether some of the technology used in the ships could become outdated before the programme achieved full operational readiness.

“Apart from the loss of billions of ringgit, a 24-year delay in the delivery of the LCS by 2035 for an order placed in 2011 would inevitably raise questions over whether the technology used in the ships would have become obsolete and outdated,” he said.

Lim’s calculation of 24 years spans the period from the project’s procurement in 2011 to the 2035 target for full operational readiness, rather than representing a 24-year delay against the original ship-delivery schedule.

The LCS programme was originally for six vessels under a RM9.128 billion contract, with the first ship due in 2019 and the remaining vessels to be delivered by 2023.

The project was later restructured, reducing the order to five ships while increasing the contract value to about RM11.22 billion.

The project drew widespread attention in 2022 after the Public Accounts Committee disclosed that RM6.083 billion had been paid as of October 2020 despite none of the six ships having been delivered.

BNS was subsequently renamed Lumut Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd, or Lunas, with the government stepping in through a Ministry of Finance-owned vehicle as part of efforts to complete the project.

By the end of 2025, expenditure on the project had risen to about RM8.3 billion, while construction of the first vessel had moved into shipyard-level sea trials.

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By comparison (yes, I know 'Comparison may be odious' but in M'sia's case, what the frigg to do?)

Project Breakdown

Total Ships: Singapore ordered six advanced stealth frigates for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) in March 2000.
Built in France: The lead ship, RSS Formidable, was built by Naval Group (formerly DCNS) at their Lorient shipyard.
Built in Singapore: The remaining five ships (RSS Intrepid, RSS Steadfast, RSS Tenacious, RSS Stalwart, and RSS Supreme) were built locally by ST Marine (now part of ST Engineering) at the Benoi yard. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Design Details

French Origin: The design is based on the French Navy's La Fayette-class stealth frigates.
Local Upgrades: Singapore's version uses an all-steel construction for better durability in rough seas and features advanced local combat systems.




The Formidable-class frigates are widely considered some of the most advanced surface combatants in Southeast Asia. They feature an impressive combination of low-radar signatures, multi-domain weaponry, and significant network connectivity, all of which are currently being enhanced. [1, 2]
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1. Weapon Systems
The original configuration of the frigates gives them a 3D punch across air, surface, and sub-surface warfare: [1, 2]
• Anti-Air / Missile Defence: Equipped with 32 Sylver Vertical Launch System (VLS) cells firing Aster 15 and Aster 30 missiles. This gives them a wide-area umbrella protecting against aircraft and fast, incoming anti-ship cruise missiles. [1, 2, 3]
• Naval Gun: A main Oto Melara 76mm Super Rapid gun housed inside a radar-evading stealth cupola. [1, 2]
• Anti-Submarine: Armed with A244/S Eurotorp torpedoes and paired with an L3Harris towed active sonar system. Each ship also accommodates a Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk helicopter for extended anti-submarine tracking and targeting. [1, 2]
2. Stealth Features
The design leans heavily on the architecture of France’s La Fayette-class, taking visual cues to minimise radar and sensor visibility: [1, 2]
• Radar Cross-Section Reduction: The hull and superstructure feature a distinct "origami silhouette". Bulwarks, custom angles, and concealed equipment mean the ship’s radar signature is closer to that of a small fishing boat than a 3,200-tonne combat ship. [1, 2]
• Concealed Armaments: The ship's anti-ship missile launchers are hidden behind physical screens, and the anchoring equipment is stored entirely below deck to prevent radar reflections.
• Infrared and Acoustic Stealth: Special exhaust cooling systems reduce the thermal footprint, while the machinery is mounted on sound-dampening rafts to reduce underwater noise from its four MTU diesel engines. [1, 2]