MIRI: Sarawak’s maritime security capabilities must be strengthened with additional assets, the Sarawak Federal Secretary has said.
Speaking during an official visit to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency’s (MMEA) regional office here, Datuk Ahmad Nazri Mohd Hassan warned that the current fleet was insufficient to patrol the state’s vast waters in the South China Sea.
“This facility was only established late last year, but it is already clear that more resources are needed,” he said after inspecting operations and boarding one of the agency’s vessels.
“Sarawak’s sheer size, combined with the extent of our maritime zone, means that existing assets in Miri and across Sarawak are not adequate to meet enforcement needs,” he added.
The MMEA currently operates a single Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) in Sarawak. Two more OPVs are under construction, but they are expected to be deployed to the east coast, possibly in Kuantan, or elsewhere on the west coast, such as Langkawi.
Ahmad Nazri acknowledged that financial constraints were a limiting factor but stressed that Sarawak’s requirements remain pressing.
“There is a significant need, particularly for larger vessels capable of operating across wider areas. We recognise the government’s fiscal challenges, but strengthening maritime enforcement is vital,” he said.
Efforts to expand Malaysia’s maritime capabilities are part of broader moves to tighten security and improve law enforcement within the Malaysian Maritime Zone.
