KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 — The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) lost RM10.3 million worth of vessels after a fire broke out at a Kuantan jetty in 2013, according to the second series of the Auditor-General’s (A-G) 2014 report released today.
The fire reportedly started from a fishing boat and subsequently spread to five MMEA vessels, which were moored at the same rented jetty, instead of a dedicated dock for the agency.
One of the boats, Penyelamat 6, costed the agency RM7.15 million, while another RM2.58 million was used for the repairs of the ship named KM Mukah in 2012. The two vessels have since been disposed of.
Another RM640,000 was used to repair a ship named KM Rentap.
The audit criticised MMEA for only owning only seven out of the 42 jetties where 230 of its vessels are berthed.
According to the audit, the MMEA rented nine jetties from vendors, docks or ports, while 26 more were shared with other government agencies.
MMEA was also criticised as the rented jetties were too narrow, causing vessels to collide with each other during rough weather, causing physical damage on several of them.
In an incident on July 10, 2014, a stack horn and stanchion on the Pengawal 23 boat were broken after a huge ship went through one of the jetties, it said.
