Sarawak ready to help MMEA to beef up assets

KUCHING: The Sarawak government is ready to assist the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) to add assets in an effort to tighten the safeguard its territorial waters as this can curb encroachment.
Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Dr Abang Johari Tun Openg (pix) said the Development Bank of Sarawak (DBoS) is ready to provide loans should the MMEA need them to add assets as the state's priority is to protect its marine resources.
"Many cases of encroachment (by foreign fishermen) have been reported, meaning that our marine resources are very rich and must be prevented from being stolen. Local fishermen must also use the latest fishing methods and technology to enhance efficiency," he said when launching KM Sri Aman patrol craft at Tun Abang Salahuddin Maritime Complex (Komtas) at Muara Tebas, 25km from here, today.
Sarawak has a large area of territorial waters, specifically 239,605km², or 39% of the country's entire territorial waters.
Abang Johari said the enforcement of maritime laws and additional MMEA assets could propel the state's economic development, particularly in terms of security, tourism and fishery resources.
In tandem with the digital technology explosion, the fishermen should also increase knowledge and apply information technology in fishing activities so that the country's resources could be exploited more effectively.
Among those present were Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Modern Agriculture and Rural Economy, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and MMEA director-general Datuk Seri Zulkifli Abu Bakar.
Meanwhile, Zulkifli said KM Sri Aman is the second of six New Generation Patrol Craft (NGPC) contracted to a local company based in Port Klang, Selangor.
"It can cruise at a speed of 12 knots and can sail up to 2,000 nautical miles, equipped with reverse osmosis system for processing 220L of fresh water per hour, and can sail for up to 10 days," he added.
KM Sri Aman is 44.25m long and 7.7m wide, and equipped with Aselsan Smash 30mm cannon and an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle" (UAV) for aerial monitoring.
The first NGPC, KM Bagan Datuk, was completed in March. The remaining four NGPC are expected to be completed in stages, with the sixth expected to be completed in first quarter of 2019.
With the addition of KM Sri Aman costing about RM70 million, the MMEA has 15 vessels and 18 boats in Sarawak waters.