LUNDU: Aids to Navigation (ATON) in Sarawak, including lighthouses, navigational buoys, and beacons, are operating at an optimal level as verified by an audit from Lloyd’s Maritime Institute.
Deputy Minister for Transport (Maritime and Riverine), Datuk Henry Harry Jinep, said that the audit findings reflected the State’s strong commitment to ensuring maritime safety and effective management of navigation aids.
“All aids to navigation in Sarawak are functioning at their best and meet international standards, as confirmed by Lloyd’s Maritime Institute,” Henry said during an expedition to the Tanjung Datu Lighthouse on Wednesday.
The two-day expedition, held in conjunction with the inaugural World Aids to Navigation Day celebration in Sarawak, was also joined by Marine Sarawak Region Director, Bianus Muyou, as well as officers from the Sarawak Buoys and Lights Board (LBAS), Ministry of Transport Sarawak (MOTS), Marine Department Malaysia Sarawak Region (JLMWS), and the Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB).
Henry said the Tanjung Datu Lighthouse, which has been operational since 1870, holds historical importance for Sarawak. The current 30-metre structure, completed in 2020, stands beside the Tanjung Datu Light Tower belonging to Indonesia.
He added that apart from aiding navigation, the lighthouse also symbolises Malaysia’s sovereignty, marking the border between Malaysia and Indonesia.
Henry expressed hope that Sarawak’s lighthouses would continue to be upgraded in line with current needs and developed as tourist attractions, similar to the Tanjung Tuan Lighthouse in Melaka.
