August 23,
1976 the passenger ship Malaysia Raya burned off Port Kelang. The ship had been built in France in 1954 and was originally named Laos. At 13,212 grt she could carry 539 passengers in three classes. She was sold in 1970 and renamed Empress Abeto and sold again in 1971 to the Fir Line and renamed Malaysia Raya. She was employed as a Jeddah Pilgrim ship running between Malaysia-Singapore and India. While at anchor at Port Kelang, Kuala Lampur, she was destroyed by fire. The ship was declared a total loss. Her sister ship Malaysia Kita suffered a similar fate in 1974 when she was in Singapore undergoing repairs. She was towed out of the harbor and the fire was allowed to burn itself out. The ship settled to the bottom in shallow water, she was raised in 1975 and later scrapped. |
