117 foreign naval vessels visited M'sia last year

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 117 foreign navy vessels made a stop in Malaysia last year which has directly contributed to the country's economy.
Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) chief Admiral Tan Sri Ahmad Kamarulzaman Ahmad Badaruddin said the vessels were from 21 countries including the United States, Australia, China, Russia and India.
"Usually when the vessels dock at the ports, the crew will do their shopping here," he told reporters after delivering the Naval Commander New Year's Message at Wisma Pertahanan here, today.
"This is a positive indication that these countries recognise Malaysia as a safe place to visit," he said.
The close ties and strategic partnerships between RMN and the foreign navies had promoted these visits.
Ahmad Kamarulzaman said more than half of the naval force were sacked for drug abuse to safeguard RMN's image and credibility.
"The RMN is a military institution and I have declared that drugs are our enemy. Therefore we will not compromise with any personnel who are involved with drugs," he added.
At the event, RMN also introduced the #15to5 transformation logo and launched the new TNG-15to5 Touch n Go card which were among RMN branding initiatives.
This year, RMN would focus on realising the goals of the 15to5 RMN transformation programme in generating greater efficiency to address security threats amid the country's difficult economic position. — Bernama