KOTA KINABALU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) will finally be getting its building by 2027.
The Malaysian coastguard is now operating from a rented building in the Kolombong industrial area near here.
MMEA acting director-general Datuk Saiful Lizan Ibrahim said the new building would be built in Sepanggar, about 20km from here, once the documentation and land assessment processes are completed.
"When these procedures are done, we will start the (construction) project sometime in 2025 and hope to complete the building by 2027," he told reporters on Monday (Aug 5) after being granted an audience with Sabah Head of State Tun Juhar Mahiruddin at the state palace.
Saiful said the courtesy visit was to update the state governor on the latest development of MMEA including the building project and its assets.
He said Juhar was also briefed on the strategies to safeguard Sabah waters including human resources and the plan to build its air wing station in the east coast Sandakan district.
The station, he said, would be home to four new Agusta Westland AW189 helicopters, and the latest assets which are being built in Italy.
The helicopters would be delivered in stages starting from the end of next year, he said.
"We are also planning to create a frontline post at Sebatik Island (in Tawau)," Saiful pointed out, adding the speedboats would be placed.
As of July this year, he said, the MMEA had conducted 19,180 physical checks and 37,353 inspections through visual, radio and radar means.
He said they also made 370 arrests.
