| Unit Gempur Marin | |
|---|---|
UST Insignia before it was renamed to UNGERIN |
|
| Active | 2007 - known as Combat Diving Unit (UST) 2008 - UNGERIN (Present) |
| Country | Malaysia |
| Branch | Royal Malaysia Police |
| Type | Special Operations |
| Role | Domestic Counter-Terrorism and Law Enforcement |
| Size | 52 Policemen[1] |
| Part of | Directly under control of Marine Operations Force |
| Garrison/HQ | Marine Police Headquarters, Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur |
| Color of Beret | Light blue beret - Standard marine police forces[1] |
| Anniversaries | March 25 (Police Days Anniversaries), August 31 (Independence Day Anniversaries) |
| Engagements | Operation Barracuda |
| Commanders | |
| Colonel-Commandant | Senior Assistant Commissioner I Abdul Rahman Bin Ahmad |
The Marine Combat Unit (Malay: Unit Gempur Marin, UNGERIN) is a maritime Special Operations squad under the command of the Royal Malaysian Police. Fully operational on 2007, the UNGERIN conducts anti-piracy and counter-terrorism operations in the coastal waters surrounding Malaysia and assists the marine police to respond swiftly.
Trained by the United States, the UNGERIN operates out of the RMP's Marine Police Bases in Kampung Aceh, Sitiawan, Perak for suppression of critical situations in the Straits of Malacca and Lahad Datu Marine Police Base, Sabah for operations in Sabah and Sarawak.
For most operations, the unit is to be supported by various Malaysian special forces units, including Pasukan Gerakan Khas and MMEA STARs when crimes takes place in Malaysian waters.[2]
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The roles of the RMP UNGERIN are predominantly focused on, but not restricted to the littoral and riverine waterborne domains, including:
For this, UNGERIN operators are to patrol the following places:[2]
Established in March 2006, the Unit Gempur Marin was created under the Royal Malaysia Police with the first name as the Unit Selam Tempur due to the pressing need of suppressing pirate attacks alongside the coastal area of Malacca Straits and open sea area of South China Sea which were continuously widespread from time to time despite various efforts done to overcome the problem. Throughout the year of 2006, 239 cases of pirate attacks were reported according to statistics of the International Maritime Bureau, Kuala Lumpur.
As a result of concentrated efforts by Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, the piracy activities were drastically reduced.[3] Nevertheless, law enforcement agencies from the 3 countries continue to be vigilant against pirate activity in the Straits of Malacca.[4]
For the unit's restructing, the name of UST was changed to Unit Gempur Marin or UNGERIN in the year 2008.[1] Its eventual goal is to have 200 operators on standby with UNGERIN.[2]
Based on this critical need, a specific doctrine from RMP has led to the establishment of a marine elite unit in performing the said task. Approximately 30 members of the squad (69 Commandos Special Forces were sent to this unit), and the unit will be upgraded to 100 mens strength in the future with 70 personnels will be employed in stages in the duration of two years after receiving the approval from the Public Service Department, which are divided to 3 detachments, to guard the waters of Malacca Straits and the Sulu Sea. This unit was trained by the 69 Commandos of PGK, US Coast Guard and the US Navy SEALs from a training exercise code-named Fusion Mint.[5]
In the first phase, this 30-personnels strong special force is to undergo training in Langkawi and Kota Kinabalu, by instructors from Navy SEALs. Besides the basic diving training, they will be trained with other basic training, including tactical warfares, marksmanship, sniping, bomb disposal, direct action, sabotage, counter-terrorism, and intelligence gathering as well as paramedic training, along with special missions which are normally handled by special forces.[6][7]
On 2 February 2007, UST anti-terror marine police and 69 Commandos trained abroad with Japan Coast Guard (JCG), Royal Thai Marine Police (RTMP) and Thai Marine Department (TMD) for the combating maritime robberies exercise at waters of Ku Tarutao, Thailand, four nautical miles from the Malaysia-Thai borders. The Japan Coast Guard deployed the PLH22 YASHIMA 5,000 tons patrol vessel to Langkawi for this mock exercise.
UNGERIN has recently participated with the Royal Malaysian Navy on March 28, 2009.[8]
UNGERIN has been trained in maritime capabilities such as:
On qualification, Marine Police of the UNGERIN wear the blue berets[1] with light blue hackle and camouflage uniform, the uniforms worn by paramilitary and special forces of RMP. All tactics of maritime commandos are exactly similar to those of the UK Special Boat Service as well as US Navy and USMC commando special force units.
As part of UNGERIN's restructuring, all marine police bases would be made coastal police stations with forward bases to double as coastal police posts for UNGERIN forces to rapidly respond to maritime threats.[9]
UNGERIN operators are equipped with multi specialized weaponry and marine assault vehicles, including:-
| Special Police Weapons | Origin | Versions | Quantity | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Handgun Types | ||||||
| Glock 19 | Austria | Standard | Classified | - | ||
| Walther P99 | Germany | Standard | Not known | - | ||
| Shotgun Types | ||||||
| Remington 870 Shotgun | United States | 18.5mm breaching shotgun | Not known | |||
| Submachinegun Types | ||||||
| Heckler & Koch MP5 | West Germany | MP5N, MP5K-A4, MP5SD3 | Unknown | - | ||
| Assault rifle Types | ||||||
| Bushmaster Carbon 15 | United States | Standard, SBR | Unknown | Canceled when it's suffered the mechanical defectors in an inside component. | ||
| Colt M4A1 Carbine | United States | Standard or SOPMOD Block I/II kit | Unknown | Future standard rifles | ||
| SIG SG 553 | Switzerland | Standard | Unknown | |||
| Sniper Types | ||||||
| Heckler & Koch PSG1 | Germany | Standard | Unknown | |||
| Accuracy International Arctic Warfare | United Kingdom | Standard | Unknown | |||
| Grenade launcher Types | ||||||
| M203 grenade launcher | United States | Standard | Unknown | |||
| Machinegun Types | ||||||
| FN MAG | Belgium | Standard | Unknown | |||
The unit has it own RHIB navy transport speedboat with the capacity of holding 10 passengers and able to travel at 60+ knots per hour, two engines with 250 brake horsepowers to increase its maritime operationals capabilities.[10] On July 11, 2007, the RMP purchased 10 units of Marine Alutech Watercat M14 PSC class landing craft vessels from Marine Alutech OY AB Service with 22 passengers capacity and able 30 knots high speeds, possibly equipped with 12.7mm NSV machinegun, 40mm grenade machinegun and 120m Patria NEMO mortar to used by marine police as well as UNGERIN operatives for amphibious assault duties even in shallow waters. The boats are built by Geliga Slipway Sdn Bhd in Malaysia. The boats are to be supplied in 2008-2009.[11][12]
For equipment, UNGERIN basically uses commercial scuba diver equipment. All operatives also equipped with lightweight PRO-TEC helmets, fire-resistant Nomex coveralls, or BDUs (battle dress uniform), Plate Carrier for carrying ammunition and specialist equipment, tactical gloves, balaclava or protective face covering, protective eye goggles, Gas mask, flashlight (usually a Surefire or Heckler & Koch brand), combat steel reinforced boots, flexi-cuffs, and thigh ammo. They often use drop leg holsters, while some officers prefer hip holsters.
UNGERIN operators had participated in an anti-smuggling operation, seized smuggled RM2mil worth of contraband liquor, beer and cigarettes smuggled in from Labuan.[13] Two local youths were nabbed while several others fled into the mangrove swamp when police identified themselves at 9pm on Sunday at Sungai Kampung Tananak near Menumbok, about 130 km.
That 30 personnel, led by ASP Fauzi Ibrahim, seized 1,100 liquor bottles and 36,700 packets of various cigarette brands in a special operation codenamed Ops Barracuda. They also seized nine boats, each equipped with 200HP engines, used for smuggling operations between the duty-free island and mainland Sabah. Police were investigating the activities of the syndicate and trying to identify the mastermind.[14]
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