MY TRAVEL INFO: HMS TAMAR, HONG KONG (1990)

These images capture a significant diplomatic and naval moment from September 1990, when the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) vessels KD Lekir (F26) and KD Mahawangsa (A1504) conducted a port call at the British Naval Base, HMS Tamar, in Hong Kong.

The Significance of the Visit

In 1990, such visits were part of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) and routine regional engagement.

• KD Lekir: A Kasturi-class corvette, which at the time was one of the most modern and capable combatants in the Malaysian fleet.
• KD Mahawangsa: A Sri Indera Sakti-class multi-role support ship, often used for logistics and as a command platform for long-range deployments.
• HMS Tamar: The iconic "upside-down" building seen in your photos is the Prince of Wales Building. It served as the headquarters for the British Forces in Hong Kong until the 1997 handover (it is now the People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison HQ).
• Hong Kong Squadron: the squadron originally consisted of five ships : HMS Peacock, HMS Plover, HMS Starling, HMS Swallow and HMS Swift. When the British left Hong Kong in 1997, three of these ships (Peacock, Plover and Starling) were sold to the Philippine Navy 

Visual Highlights from my Photos

• Naval Architecture: You can clearly see the distinct silhouette of the Prince of Wales Building, which was designed to be easily defensible with its narrow base.
• Diplomatic Interaction: The photos of the Malaysian sailors socializing with British Royal Navy personnel (including WRENS—Women's Royal Naval Service) reflect the close ties between the two navies during the late colonial era of Hong Kong.This photo was taken inside the HMS Tamar China Fleet Club or the Junior Rate's Mess. In 1990, these were famous for being the social hub for visiting Commonwealth sailors, where RMN sailors from KD Lekir and KD Mahawangsa would have mingled with British WRENs and sailors.

Technical Details of the Vessels (1990)

Feature	KD Lekir (F26)	KD Mahawangsa (1504)
Class	Kasturi-class Corvette	Sri Indera Sakti-class Support Ship
Role	Surface Warfare & ASW	Logistics & Command
Main Gun	100 mm Creusot-Loire	57 mm Bofors
Missiles	Exocet MM40	N/A

These photos are a wonderful historical record of the Royal Malaysian Navy's "blue water" reach and the social side of naval life during a transformative period in Asian history.

Compiled by:

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

(Ex-KD Lekir crew 1989-1992)

23/12/2025: 10.23 p.m