Abstract: The situation in Southeast Asia brings attention not only to the regional countries, but also to the great powers. The growing People’s Republic of China’s economy and military especially causes concern regarding the stability of the whole Southeast Asia region. Smaller Southeast Asian countries may be overwhelmed by China. Amongst these countries is Malaysia, which tries to secure its national interest in the region, especially in the South China Sea. Malaysia faces some maritime security threats caused by its stakes in the Spratly Islands dispute. The article attempts to elucidate the contemporary condition of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), especially in the field of warships. Moreover, the study tries to answer the question of why the RMN is an important branch of the Malaysian Armed Forces and plays a vital role in securing Malaysian safety. The article is divided into two parts. The first describes the problems which Malaysia faces in the field of maritime security. The second elaborates the assets of the RMN, mostly in major combatant ships. This paper concludes with a summary of the RMN’s major vessels that have been and will be developed from 1990 to 2025. Full text available here.
