Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (Abbreviation: MMEA; Malay: Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia; APMM), the Malaysian Coast Guard version, is the principal government agency tasked with maintaining law and order and coordinating search and rescue operations in the Malaysian Maritime Zone and on the high seas. It is in effect the Coast Guard of Malaysia. The Agency is not part of nor are there any plans for it be integrated into the Malaysian Armed Forces. The Agency and its members are part of the Malaysian Civil Service and report directly to the Prime Minister's Department. Currently, the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, The Rt. Hon. Dato' Seri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak is the Minister responsible for the MMEA.

Background

The history of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency began with the report on the Feasibility Study on the Establishment of Malaysian Coastguard conducted by National Security Council, Prime Minister's Department. The findings of the report was agreed to by the Government and a Nucleus Team led by Datuk Abu Talib bin Haji Harun, was created with the objective of organizing the creation of the Agency. The Agency was formally established with the enactment of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Act 2004 (Act 633) by the Malaysian Parliament in May 2004. Subsequently, the Act received the Royal Assent from the Yang Di Pertuan Agong on 25 June 2004 and was gazetted on 1 July of the same year. On 15 February 2005, the Act came into force. The Agency achieved operational status on 30 November 2005 with the commencement of patrols by MMEA vessels. The agency maintains close ties with the United States and Japanese coast guards. The agency carries out law enforcement work during peace time.

Organization

Director General of Malaysian Maritime Enforcement

A Director General of Malaysian Maritime Enforcement appointed by the Yang Di Pertuan Agong (King) on the advice of the Prime Minister under Section 4(1) of the Act is responsible for the operational direction, command, control and supervision of the Agency. Administratively, the Director General reports directly to the Chief Secretary to the Government. By virtue of his office, he is also the head of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Service. The Director General is assisted by three Deputy Directors General, each responsible for Management, Operations and Logistics. The post is an open one enabling any civil, military or police officer to be appointed to the post. For the purposes of discipline, the Director General is considered to be a member of the general public service of the Federation under Section 4(4). At present the Director General of Malaysian Maritime Enforcement is Admiral Datuk Mohd Amdan bin Kurish MMEA, former Royal Malaysian Navy Fleet Operations Commander.

Officers and other ranks

The officers and other ranks of the MMEA are appointed by the Public Service Commission as Maritime Enforcement Service officers under Section 5(1) of the Act and are considered civil servants under the Malaysian Civil Service. The Agency also consists of officers and staff from various other Services such as the Administrative and Diplomatic Service, Judicial and Legal Service, Information System Service and others. These personnel are primarily involved in matters of administration, finance, procurement, human resource management, legal affairs and prosecution, and information technology. All Officers are not commissioned by Yang Di Pertuan Agong (King), only Director commissioned. It means, an Armed Forces personnel can't give an honor salute with MMEA Officers.

Headquarters

The headquarters of the Agency is situated at One IOI Square, IOI Resort, Putrajaya, close to the federal administrative centre of Malaysia. The Agency HQ was formerly based in Cyberjaya before it shifted to the present address in April 2006.

Operational areas

The operational area of the Agency is the Malaysian Maritime Zone which is divided into 5 Maritime Regions consisting of 18 Maritime Districts.

Ranks

Ranks for officers and other ranks in the Agency are derived from the Royal Malaysian Navy. Officer and Warrant Officer insignia are similar to that of their naval counterparts. Chevrons are used to denote the ranks of Chief Petty Officer and below.

MMEA Special Forces (STAR)

The MMEA currently have their own Special Forces unit. Called the STAR (Special Task And Rescue). It is composed of members from the Royal Malaysian Air Force's PASKAU and Royal Malaysian Navy's PASKAL. Their task is to do hostage rescue works in shallow waters that are under MMEA's power. They are also tasked to do anti-terrorist actions in Malaysian waters alongside with the Malaysian Navy. The STAR team are considerably well trained as the members are taken from (Royal Malaysian Air Force) and the Royal Malaysian Navy Special Forces.

On the 2nd of July, 2009, the first batch of fresh commando units graduated from Basic Commando Selection alongside with the Royal Malaysian Airforce SFs, PASKAU. They were given American Styled ACUs (Army Combat Uniform), blue PASKAU berets and also the Malaysian Army Zebra Woodland Camouflage uniform.

Malaysian Maritime Zone

Internal waters and territorial sea

• Territorial Sea: 12 nautical miles (22 km) from baseline
• Sovereignty: part of the territory of Malaysia.
• Subject to the right of innocent passage for all vessels

Contiguous zone

• 24 nautical miles (44 km) from coast.
• Jurisdiction to prevent or punish infringement of customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws.

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

• 200 nautical miles (370 km) from coast.
• Sovereign rights over the management of the resources of the seabed and water column.
• Jurisdiction in respect of: - construction of artificial islands- marine scientific research - protection and preservation of the marine environment.
• Subject to the rights of other States including: freedoms of navigation, overflight, and laying of submarine cables.

Continental shelf

• 200 nautical miles (370 km) or to the extent of the continental margin.
• Sovereign rights over the management of the resources of the seabed but not the water column.
• Jurisdiction in respect of: -construction of artificial islands - drilling on the continental shelf.
• Subject to the rights of other States including freedoms of navigation, overflight, laying of submarine cables and revenue sharing.

Weaponry

Strength and Equipment

KM means 'Kapal Maritim'

Patrol Vessels

• 15 x Gagah Class Ship
• 5 x Ramunia Class Ship
• 2 x Nusa Class Ship
• 15 x Sipadan Class Ship
• 2 x Rhu Class Ship
• 10 x Pengawal Class Ship
• 1 x Peninjau Class Ship
• 5 x Pelindung Class Ship
• 5 x Semilang Class Ship
• 2 x Penggalang Class Ship
• 4 x Penyelamat Class Ship
• 1 x Pengaman Class Ship
• 38 x Kilat Class Ship
• 4 x Malawali Class Ship

Offshore Patrol Vessel

• 2 x Langkawi Class Patrol Ship

Training Vessel

• 1 x Merlin Class Ship^[1]

Air Inventory

Another leased by Australia to help with Asylum Seeker Crisis.

Notes

External links

• Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Website