Lumut: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has expressed his satisfaction with the progress of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) construction by Lumut Naval Shipyard (Lunas) at the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) base here, describing it as commendable. He said the progress demonstrated the government's strong commitment to prioritising national security assets and reflected the MADANI government's emphasis on good governance.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the prime minister remarked, "We regard the RMN as a key line of defence, as our waters are not immune to threats such as terrorism, potential foreign incursions and smuggling. That is why I agreed for the LCS project to continue under the Finance Ministry." He attributed previous delays to weak management, governance issues, and corruption, emphasizing the necessity of good governance to ensure maritime security. Anwar delivered these remarks during his speech at the Kenduri Rakyat programme, part of the Perak MADANI Rakyat Programme 2025, at Shariff Hall, RMN Lumut.

Also present at the event was Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil. Earlier, the prime minister visited the Lunas facility at the RMN base to inspect the ongoing LCS construction works.

Meanwhile, Anwar highlighted the government's continuous attention to enhancing the country's defence assets. He noted that the Defence Ministry is among those receiving the largest allocations in the annual budget. "Defence ranks third (in terms of allocation), after education and health. For 2025 alone, RM21.2 billion has been allocated - a significant amount for a developing nation," he stated.

He further explained that this allocation reflects the government's appreciation of the sacrifices made by security forces, aiming to ensure national stability, which is crucial for economic growth. Anwar expressed concern over the poor condition of certain security assets still in use to safeguard the nation and mentioned his initiative upon the formation of the MADANI Government. He called in all armed forces chiefs to outline their priority needs, ensuring sufficient funding to improve defence machinery and assets.