Intake 139/80 & History of Lumut Naval Base (1980)

15 January 1980 - the beginning of a new life in a seafarer's world. 

Intake 139/80 etched its name in the history of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN/TLDM) as the very first batch to undergo recruit training at KD Pelandok in Lumut, Perak. Prior to this, recruit training was conducted in Sembawang, Singapore.

There are many bittersweet memories throughout the 6 months of recruit training there. The Lumut RMN Base back then was still just red dirt and dusty... not many roads were paved yet.

We felt fortunate because we were among the people who got to witness the development of the largest RMN base in the country... which by now has changed so much, becoming more beautiful, sophisticated, and modern.

KD Pelandok received its first batch of recruits for basic training on 14 January 1980. 

History of TLDM Lumut Base

In 1965, after Singapore left Malaysia, the Royal Malaysian Navy found itself in a dilemma - Its HQ at KD Malaya, was in Woodlands, Singapore, on foreign soil. 

The vision to bring it home came from Commodore Datuk K. Thanabalisingam, the first Malaysian to be appointed as the Chief of Navy (Panglima Tentera Laut) in 1967. 

He initiated the idea for the RMN to have a naval base in its own country back in 1969. It was deemed unsuitable for the RMN base to still be located in Singapore.

Simultaneously, the Malaysian Government decided on a plan to build a new RMN base within Malaysia. In collaboration with a German firm, F.H.KOCKS KG, which was appointed to conduct a detailed study to find a suitable location for an RMN base, the company ultimately selected Lumut in Perak in May 1972 as the most strategic location.

Lumut was chosen as the site for the RMN base because the 1,800-acre land was highly suitable from geological, defense, and sea-depth perspectives for a naval facility.

Among the other locations listed at the time was Klang; however, detailed studies and several factors revealed that Klang was not suitable to be turned into the RMN base.

A "Naval Study Team" was formed consisting of two RMN officers at the time: Commander V. Ramachandran as the Head of Operations and Planning, and Lt. Cdr. T.A. Scully as the Engineering Officer.

Construction originally began on 5 January 1973 and was fully completed on 6 February 1983.

The Royal Malaysian Navy planned to build a shipyard for ship maintenance. Two German Firms, Blohm & Voss and Thyssen AG were selected to build the shipyard. The shipyard is known as Boustead Naval Shipyard. 

Another German firm, Thyssen Rheinstahl Technik, was appointed to study and build the RMN Dockyard in Lumut, working in partnership with F.H. KOCKS KG.

It was established in 1984 as the Royal Malaysian Navy Dockyard (RMN Dockyard), and was corporatized in 1991. It was privatised as PSC Naval Dockyard in 1995, and later became Boustead Naval Shipyard.

It was rebranded as Lumut Naval Shipyard (LUNAS) in 2024.

Today it is responsible for maintenance, repair, modernisation and construction of major RMN vessels, including the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme.

The very first batch of young trainees was trained here on 14 January 1980, namely the RMN Young Trainees Intake 139/80. This group completed their training on 26 June 1980, making them the first batch to graduate from the Lumut RMN Base.

Construction of the Lumut Naval Base was fully completed in 6 February 1983.

On 3 September 1984, the Royal Malaysian Navy HQ in Woodlands, Singapore began relocating to Lumut Naval Base after 9 years of construction. 

Reference: 1980 - TLDM Intake 139 & Pengkalan TLDM Lumut, Perak.

Key Historical Figures 

1. Commodore Datuk K. Thanabalisingam: The first Malaysian-born Chief of Navy (appointed 1967) who initiated the local base concept.
2. Komodor Mohamed Sidek Shabudin (Allahyarham): Former Project Chief for the TLDM Lumut Base and Commander of Naval Region 1 (Panglima Wilayah Laut 1). He passed away on April 28, 1979, before seeing the completion of the base. The base's Dewan M. Sidek Shabudin is named in his honor.
3. Captain P.K. Nettur: The RMN officer who took the salute during the historic passing out parade of Intake 139 on June 26, 1980.

The M.Sidek Shabudin Hall sits next to the KD Pelandok Parade Ground in Lumut, Perak. This hall was named in honor of the former Commander of Naval Region 1, Allahyarham Commodore Mohamed Sidek Shabudin N/400090, who passed away on 28 April 1979. 

He had also served as the Project Director for the Lumut RMN Base project. However, fate decided otherwise. He did not live to see the completion and growth of the Lumut RMN Base that he spearheaded.

The Raw Reality of Lumut in 1980

The author, Hj. Zulheimy Ma'amor, paints a vivid picture of the primitive state of Malaysia's largest naval base during its early operational phase in 1980:

"The TLDM Lumut Base back then was still just red earth and dust... not many roads were paved yet."

The Lumut Naval Base was not yet fully completed when we first arrived on 14 January 1980. The base was still covered in red dirt. 

This is what the Lumut Base Jetty looked like back in 1980. No Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM) ships were docking here yet, as the jetty was still under construction. The fleet was still operating out of Woodlands, Singapore.

MASJID AN NUR

An-Nur Mosque within the RMN Lumut Base: during its construction in 1980 and as it appears now (2026), with the original round dome having been replaced.

LUMUT NAVAL BASE IN 1980

This is a collection of photos showing what the Lumut Naval Base looked like in the 1980s. Most of these are my own personal photos, which I have restored because many had faded and become worn over time.

An aerial view of the Married Quarters in 1980. The newly built residential blocks stood surrounded by green spaces and sports courts, providing accommodation for the naval personal and their families. 

When we first arrived at KD Pelandok in 14 January 1980, the vast landscape was a massive work in progress, with newly constructed accommodation blocks standing amidst carved hillsides and raw, unpaved terrain. Navigating the base meant dealing with muddy tire tracks, piles of construction dirt, and a continuous blanket of dust that covered everything from the open clearings to the spaces surrounding block D11. While the newly completed bachelor blocks and galley areas like D-6 were fully functional on the inside, the entire compound outside remained an active construction zone, serving as a raw and unforgettable backdrop to our early days of naval training.

This hill was very popular among recruits in the early 1980s. It was named "Bukit Kamal" after a Gunnery Instructor (GI)—or drill instructor—named G.I. Kamal, who would unfailingly order recruits to run up and down the hill every morning before commencing drill training.

Training Conditions for Intake 139

When the recruits of intake 139/80 arrived in 14 January 1980, the massive 1,800-acre base was still actively under construction. Recruits trained amidst open dirt tracks and red clay. They successfully concluded their grueling basic training on June 26, 1980. bridgig the gap between the navy's old legacy in Singapore and its modern, self-reliant future as a major maritime protector in Southeast Asia. 
The Parade Ground: The official parade square was incomplete when training started. Recruits spent months marching over dusty red soil; the Parade Ground wasn only full completed two months before we finished our training.... so before it was ready, we marched on the dusty red dirt.... we were the first batch to officially inaugurate the Parade Ground in Lumut, Perak. 

The Lumut Base Parade Ground as it looks today.....

Seamanship Training: Practical sailing and maneuvering drills were heavily conducted around the waters of Pangkor Island to build sea proficiency.

Intake 139 made history as the very first batch to officially inaugurate the new Lumut Parade Ground and graduate on Malaysian soil, witnessing the base evolve from a muddy construction site into a modern naval powerhouse.

The training at KD Pelandok—the premier Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) training centre in Lumut, Perak—served as the definitive crucible where raw recruits were transformed into disciplined sailors. 
For pioneering 1980s groups like Intake 139, training was physically punishing. The sprawling 1,800-acre Lumut base was still under construction, forcing recruits to march, run, and complete drills across unpaved red clay and muddy dirt tracks. 

The curriculum was divided into distinct phases designed to build complete naval readiness:

1. Basic Military and Drill Phase (The Foundation)

• Foot and Arms Drills: Endless hours on the massive Lumut Parade Ground to instill uniform synchronization and reaction to commands.
• Physical Conditioning: Daily long-distance endurance runs, obstacle courses, and strength conditioning to build physical resilience.
• Unwavering Discipline: Strict adherence to naval hierarchy, midnight kit inspections, uniform upkeep, and intense psychological conditioning from instructors. 

2. Basic Seamanship Skills (Essential Sea Survival)

• Swimming and Lifesaving: Mandatory tests in deep-water survival, jumping from heights to simulate abandoning ship, and mastering life raft deployment.
• Basic Sailing & Boat Handling: Practicing practical rowboat and small sailboat maneuvering at the Pusat Latihan Kemahiran Air (Water Skills Training Centre) to understand wind and currents. 
• Knotting and Splicing: Learning dozens of classic naval knots, bends, hitches, and wire ropes essential for safely securing a multi-ton warship to a pier.

3. Specialised Skill Schools (Branch Phase)
Once basic training concluded, sailors transitioned to specialized faculties within the base depending on their designated roles: 

• Communications Faculty: Trainees like those in the Zul Maamor Collection spent long hours learning tactical signaling, typing, and logging Morse code and Semaphore flag procedures.
• Seaman Faculty: Focusing on handling heavy naval gunnery, small arms weapon drills, and deck maintenance.
• Engineering & Supply Faculties: Focusing on shipboard engine mechanics, damage control, or logistics management.

4. Survival and Damage Control (Fleet Readiness)

• Firefighting and Flood Control: Training inside simulated smoke-filled mockups and flooding ship compartments, where recruits had to plug high-pressure hull breaches under water.
• CBRNDC Training: Learning how to survive and counter Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear threats. 

END OF RECRUIT TRAINING INTAKE 139 - 26 JUNE 1980
26 June 1980 – The end of recruit training for Intake 139... the first group to hold a passing-out parade in Lumut, Perak.
If I am not mistaken, the officer who took the salute for the parade was Capt. P.K. Nettur, RMN...
Intake 139 will forever hold its place in RMN history as the first batch to complete training in Lumut, Perak, and among those who personally witnessed the base transition from a dusty, red-dirt site into one of the most advanced and modern naval bases in the region.

After 35 years had passed (1980–2015)... by the grace of God, we were finally reunited at the First Reunion of Intake 139/80 in Taman Melawati, Kuala Lumpur on 23 May 2015.

The Legacy of Intake 139/80 holds a monumental place in the history of the Royal Malaysian Navy. 

It is hard to believe that more than 45 years have passed, since we first stepped foot at Lumut Naval Base........Looking back, those six months in 1980 did more than just train us to be sailors—they forged a lifelong brotherhood. We arrived as raw recruits, we were the ones who tasted the dust, walked the unpaved roads, red-dirt construction site, and we left as the historic first batch to graduate from the Lumut Naval Base. Decades have flown by, and while our hair has grayed and the base itself has transformed into a modern masterpiece, the memories we shared remain as sharp as ever. To my brothers of Intake 139: If you are reading this blog post, please leave a comment...no matter where life has taken us, we will always share the unique honor of being the pioneers who started it all. Until we meet at our next reunion, fair winds and following seas.

Keep in touch, stay safe and anchors aweigh... my brothers!

"ONCE A SAILOR... ALWAYS A SAILOR.."

Reference:

1. Wikipedia - Lumut Naval Base
2. Wikipedia - Woodlands Naval Base
3. Roots Singapore : Former KD Malaya
4. Fandom : RMN Lumut Naval Base

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

3 June 2026: 3.23 a.m