The KD Seri Inderapura, The Royal Malaysian Navy's (RMN) biggest landing craft, caught fire while berthed at the RMN base jetty in Lumut today.

NONE The fire was reported to have occurred at about 6am and efforts are still underway to put it out.

Manjung police chief ACP Mohd Jamil Osman said that according to the preliminary report, the fire involved the office and storage areas and no injuries were reported.

Police had yet to receive a report from the RMN in Lumut, he said when contacted.

"We don't know the cause yet, we will issue a statement later," a RMN spokeswoman told AFP , adding that several hours later firefighters were still trying to extinguish the blaze.

The 40-year-old KD Seri Inderapura was reportedly bought from the United States in 1995.

Minister: Craft to be replaced

Meanwhile Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the government will consider buying a new landing craft to replace KD Seri Inderapura.

Ahmad Zahid said the 40-year old vessel could not be used anymore due to be being burned for the second time, the first being in 2002.

NONE "I have contacted the prime minister just now, he is abroad, I believe that the PM who had been defence minister for 14 years would ask to look for an alternative to replace the ship, however it is difficult to look for one as it was difficult to get one on the market now.

"If we have a need it should be done through a open tender, to refurbish it would take 36 to 60 months, to me the ship cannot be used, so a replacement has to be found," Zahid told reporters at a news conference in Port Dickson today.

He said the ship which was commissioned in 1995 caught fire at 6.23am and the flames were only fully doused at 2.15pm.

According to him, initial reports said the fire may have been caused by a short-circuit and had nothing to do with sabotage.

"No sabotage, nothing to do with the Benteng Demokrasi Rakyat (Bendera) group that reportedly planned to attack Malaysia," said Zahid

He also rejected allegations that the KD Seri Inderapura was not well maintained by the navy as the RMN was always at a heightened state of readiness and technical and mechanical inspections were always given importance.