New Malaysian naval center 'unfit'

New Malaysian naval center 'unfit'

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysia's new 195 million ringgit (US$51 million) key naval training center in the southern state of Johor was unsafe and unfit for use, reports said on Wednesday.

"Many of the buildings in the complex are not safe for use. The hospital has cracked walls and the auditorium had its roof blown off by strong winds," Defense Minister Abang Abu Bakar Mustapha was quoted as saying by The Star newspaper.

The Royal Malaysian Navy's Tanjung Pengelih training center, which would also serve as the navy's southern command base, was to have opened on March 1.

But Abang Abu Bakar said the shoddy work had forced the navy to move its 500 recruits to the main base in the northern state of Lumut, Perak and Tanjung Pengelih would not be put into operation until all defects had been rectified.