MMEA Receives Power Boost

MMEA's boat (photo : Malaysia Today)

04.07.2011 DEFENSE STUDIES

KUANTAN: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency will receive additional boats and personnel in its transition to becoming the sole enforcement agency of the country's waters.

Its director-general Maritime Admiral Datuk Amdan Kurish said 91 boats and vessels as well as 1,060 personnel from the Marine Operations Force and the Customs Department would be assigned to the agency.

“The human resource division of the agency is also actively conducting roadshows to explain (the operations) to those marine force and Customs personnel who are interested in joining us,” he said during an officers' graduation ceremony at its training centre in Gebeng yesterday.

Admiral Amdan also said the agency had inspected 8,153 vessels and boats during the first half of the year, 393 of which were detained for various offences.

“Our success in arresting two bands of robbers in South Johor in March was an effective deterrent and well received by regional and foreign maritime communities.

“This has given the agency a great sense of confidence,” he said.

Admiral Amdan added that in order to further enhance the effectiveness of federal law enforcement in the Malaysian Maritime Zone, the agency needed the cooperation of other government agencies which still maintained their functions and power in policy-making, regulation, licensing, research, development, resource conservation and other duties.

“The only difference is that those agencies do not conduct maritime enforcement.

“They also do not coordinate search and rescue operations but provide assistance to the agency instead,” he said.

The fourth graduation ceremony saw 81 male and eight female officers being inducted into the agency's ranks.

Maritime Lt Muhammad Ariffin Ares, 40, was awarded with the agency's sword for best overall performance during the nine-month training.

(The Star)