Source : Ministry of Home Affairs
ISTANBUL October 3, 2026 — The Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN) said the launch ceremony of Multi Purpose Mission Ship 1 (MPMS 1) of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (APMM) was held at Desan Shipyard in Istanbul, Türkiye, on 2 October 2026.
The ceremony was completed by Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution bin Ismail, KDN said in a media statement.
It was witnessed by Türkiye’s Minister of Interior, H.E. Mustafa Çiftçi; Türkiye’s Minister of Industry and Technology, H.E. Mehmet Fatih Kacır; Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, Commander of the Turkish Naval Forces; and Mr Cenk İsmail Kaptanoğlu of Desan Shipyard, the statement said.
Also present were Puan Ainah binti Mohd. Soon, Deputy Secretary-General (Management), Ministry of Home Affairs; Rear Admiral (M) Datuk Saiful Lizan bin Ibrahim, Deputy Director-General (Logistics), APMM; Encik Wan Ahmad Asmady bin Wan Md. Din, Director of the Public Safety and Order Division, Ministry of Economy; H.E. Adlan Mohd. Shaffieq, Malaysia’s Ambassador to Türkiye; and Encik Ahmad Amiri bin Abu Bakar, Consul-General of Malaysia in Istanbul.
About 200 guests attended, including representatives of the Turkish government and players from the shipping and maritime industries, KDN said.
MPMS 1 is scheduled to be fully completed and to sail to Malaysia at the end of January 2027, according to the statement.
The ceremony featured a symbolic bottle containing seawater from Malaysia, which KDN said symbolised the close ties and cooperation between Malaysia and the Republic of Türkiye, before MPMS 1 was launched into the Sea of Marmara.
In conjunction with the event, a bilateral meeting was also held between the Home Affairs Minister and Türkiye’s Minister of Interior to discuss matters of mutual interest, including strengthening bilateral relations and exploring cooperation and technology sharing, particularly in security and the maritime industry, the ministry said.
“The construction of MPMS 1 is a manifestation of the close relationship between Malaysia and the Republic of Türkiye, particularly in the fields of security and maritime enforcement,” KDN said.
The ministry said the acquisition of the strategic asset would strengthen APMM’s operational capability in carrying out its responsibility to safeguard the security and sovereignty of Malaysian waters.
KDN also said the project opened space to strengthen cooperation in shipbuilding, maritime industry development, and the sharing of expertise and technology between the two countries, reflecting Malaysia’s and Türkiye’s commitment to expanding mutually beneficial strategic ties.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs is confident that this cooperation will be a catalyst for exploring new areas of collaboration in the future, while supporting the Government’s efforts to continuously strengthen the preparedness and capability of the nation’s security assets,” the statement said.
— Life News Agency
Source: Ministry of Home Affairs media statement, 2 October 2026.
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