KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 — The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) faced a significant loss when KD Pendekar, one of its valued vessels, sank last Sunday just two nautical miles southeast of Tanjung Penyusup cape near Pengerang, Johor.

The ship went down after experiencing "severe flooding,” likely due to a leak caused by an underwater collision while the vessel was in operation.

But what is the history behind this key asset of the RMN?

A royal warrior

KD Pendekar, whose name symbolises its weaponry and agility, carries the prefix "KD,” which stands for Kapal Di-Raja—meaning royal ship in English.

The name Pendekar translates to warrior, reflecting the vessel’s formidable capabilities. Built by Karlskrona Varvet Shipyard in Sweden, the fast destroyer-type warship was launched on November 11, 1978, and was commissioned into the RMN on July 27, 1979.

Initially, it served in the 2nd Fast Destroyer (Missile) Squadron before joining the First Fast Destroyer Squadron under the Patrol Flotilla.

With a pennant number of 3513, KD Pendekar was 43.62 meters long, 7.1 meters wide, and had a displacement of 2,600 tonnes.

It could operate autonomously for up to seven days.

The vessel was armed with a Bofors 57mm gun and a Bofors 40mm/70 gun, offering versatile firepower capable of engaging both sea and air targets. Lieutenant Commander Izzat Emir Md Rahim, the 37th commanding officer, led the ship during its final mission.

Maritime operations and search-and-sescue (SAR) missions

Despite being 45 years old, KD Pendekar remained a crucial asset to the RMN, with its dedicated crew of 40 continuing to participate in various maritime operations and SAR missions.

In May last year, KD Pendekar played a pivotal role in searching for three missing crew members of the MT Pablo, which caught fire near Tanjung Sedili in Kota Tinggi, Johor. Alongside the MV Polaris from the Malaysian Marine Department, KD Pendekar assisted in cooling the burning vessel’s hull, enabling rescuers to save the crew.

In October 2022, the KD Pendekar detained a Vietnamese fishing boat operating illegally 30 nautical miles north of Pulau Tioman, Johor. While patrolling, the vessel identified six Vietnamese fishing boats but managed to capture only the closest one. The boat, lacking a fishing permit, had eight storage boxes of marine catch worth RM1.5 million, which were confiscated.

In 2017, KD Pendekar was involved in the search for the RMN’s KD Perdana, which went missing during a routine patrol off Sedili, Johor. KD Perdana, manned by one officer and eight personnel, was on a mission against illegal fishing when it encountered a communication failure.

In June 2015, KD Pendekar, along with KD Terengganu and KD Ganyang, participated in the search for MT Orkim Harmony, an oil tanker that went missing 30 nautical miles east of Tanjung Sedili. The tanker, carrying 6,000 metric tonnes of petrol, was later found to have been hijacked by pirates. The crew was rescued near Vietnam, while the pirates initially escaped but were eventually captured by Vietnamese authorities and extradited to Malaysia to face charges.