Immediate Response by Liew Chin Tong in Georgetown on Thursday, 9^th October 2009:

Call for inquiry on fire on KD Seri Inderapura

The Defense Ministry has just confirmed that KD Seri Inderapura, the Royal Malaysian Navy's (RMN) biggest landing craft, caught fire while berthed at the RMN base jetty in Lumut this morning.

A similar fire happened in December 2002, when the craft berthed in Lumut as well, damaged part of the vessel's bridge and deck.

The 39-year old ship was procured from the United States in 1994 at the cost of RM 53 million before undergoing a refit programme costing RM54.45 million.

I call on the Government, in particular Defense Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, to conduct an inquiry on the latest fire and explain to the taxpayers in Parliament the causes of the fire and what’s next for the ship.

* Liew Chin Tong, Member of Pakatan Rakyat’s Defense Committee & MP for Bukit Bendera