PUTRAJAYA, Oct 29 — The government remains committed to strengthening the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency’s (MMEA) air, sea and land asset capabilities to safeguard the country’s maritime borders.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said this strong support is crucial given that the agency shoulders the heavy responsibility of safeguarding nearly 600,000 square kilometres of the nation’s waters against intrusion and cross-border crime.

Among the assets the agency will acquire are four new AW189 helicopters, a Multi-Purpose Mission Ship and two additional Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs).

“We are allocating a reasonably sufficient budget to ensure that air, sea and even land assets in the form of radar and so on are managed, so that the MMEA knows the government stands firmly behind it in carrying out its major duties. That is the message I want to convey.

“If our air assets are ageing, that will certainly affect the MMEA’s ability to deliver or carry out its tasks,” he said at the Home Ministry’s (KDN) Monthly Assembly and Innovation Day celebration here today.

Also present were Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Awang Alik Jeman, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Khalid Ismail and MMEA director-general Maritime Admiral Datuk Mohd Rosli Abdullah.

Saifuddin Nasution said the government is committed to completing the construction of two more OPVs to strengthen the agency’s operations.

“Hundreds of millions have already been spent — the project cannot just be left abandoned halfway. The message I want to deliver this year is, first, that no one can question the government’s seriousness in helping the MMEA strengthen its asset capability,” he said.

Saifuddin Nasution also extended his condolences to the family of MMEA member Senior Maritime Officer (Technical) Mohd Roshaimi Mohd Ridzuan, 41, who died in a boat collision off Perlis on Tuesday.

“We pray that he is received as a martyr, because he died while defending the country’s security,” he said.

Mohd Roshaimi was killed, while three other personnel were injured after the boat they were in was believed to have struck a concrete structure in the waters off Kuala Sungai Padang near Kuala Perlis.

At the time, they were pursuing a boat suspected of carrying undocumented migrants. — Bernama