(Front row, from left) MMEA deputy director-general (logistics) Rear Admiral Datuk Saiful Lizan Ibrahim, Katsuhiko and JICA (Malaysia office) chief representative Takizawa Masahiko with the workshop participants.
JAPAN and Malaysia are maritime nations cooperating to maintain maritime safety and security which is vital for international shipping.
The Land of the Rising Sun has despatched experts to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) to conduct several technical cooperation projects in maritime law enforcement and search and rescue operations, among others.
It also contributed two large patrol vessels – KM Arau and KM Pekan – to Malaysia in 2016, which play a vital role in protecting Malaysian waters.
The cooperation among Jica, MMEA and the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) is proof of the solid bilateral coast guard relations between both Asian countries.
Both countries have been considering measures to cope with maritime crime around Malaysia.
In line with this, a maritime law enforcement workshop on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing was held in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, with the cooperation of JICA, JCG and MMEA.
Handling IUU fishing is one of the major challenges Malaysia is facing.
The workshop included lectures on international law and the use of Long Range Acoustic Device against IUU fishing vessels, four of which Jica plans to donate to MMEA for maritime law enforcement activities in the seas around Malaysia.
The opening ceremony of the workshop was held on KM Arau.
At the ceremony, Japanese ambassador to Malaysia Takahashi Katsuhiko said this year marked the 50th year of Asean-Japan friendship and cooperation.
“I hope this workshop under the cooperation of Jica, JCG and MMEA will further enhance long-standing bilateral relations between Japan and Malaysia and help us promote maritime security in the region,” he added.
