SEMPORNA: The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) Region 2 Headquarters officially decommissioned the Tun Sharifah Rodziah (PL TSR) Sea Base during a ceremony off the coast here, on June 10.
The decommissioning was led by RMN Eastern Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Dato’ Khir Junaidi Idris, marking the symbolic end of the base’s service after nearly a decade as a forward bastion safeguarding national security and sovereignty in the waters of Eastern Sabah.
Originally a Mobile Offshore Production Unit platform known as Hercules 259, the base was built in Houston, United States, in 1973. Through a strategic tripartite collaboration between TLDM, Petronas, and Sapura Kencana, the platform was transformed into a forward naval base aligned with the nation’s strategic requirements, ensuring TLDM’s continuous presence in high‑interest areas off Eastern Sabah.
PL TSR commenced operations on 31 July 2015 and was subsequently inaugurated by the 6th Prime Minister of Malaysia on 28 May 2016. The base was named after the wife of Malaysia’s first Prime Minister, the late Tun Dato’ Seri Hajah Sharifah Rodziah Syed Alwi Barakbah.
Throughout its service, PL TSR served as a strategic platform supporting maritime security operations, monitoring maritime zones of interest, and strengthening the security presence within the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone). Its strategic location enabled rapid response to any security threat, thereby symbolising RMN ’s enduring commitment to defending national sovereignty.
Although PL TSR’s operations have been terminated, its functions and role as a forward base will be taken over by the Auxiliary Ship Tun Azizan (KA TAZ), ensuring the continued presence and operational readiness of RMN in the strategic waters of Eastern Sabah.
RMN will continue to enhance its operational capabilities in line with current needs and the evolving maritime security landscape, thereby safeguarding the sovereignty and security of the nation’s waters. – James Leong
Khir Junaidi (seated centre), with officers and other personnel during the decommissioning of Tun Sharifah Rodziah sea base on June 10.
