ALOR GAJAH: Close partnerships between Asean countries, especially Malaysia and Indonesia has strengthened maritime security along the Straits of Malacca.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), specifically in Melaka and Negri Sembilan, monitor the tight waterway that spans 15 nautical miles (27.28km) from Kuala Linggi in Melaka to Pulau Rupat, Indonesia.
Such a distance can be covered easily by speedboats, which makes cross-border smuggling a reality in just 30 minutes, a fact that many criminal syndicates try their best to exploit.
Melaka and Negri Sembilan MMEA director, Capt (Maritime) Mohd Khairi Abd Aziz said Asean’s capabilities as a regional grouping in tackling this threat has been proven through the synergy of intelligence and operations between Malaysia and Indonesia.
Quick exchanges of information and coordinated operational actions have helped curb cross-border crime, including the smuggling of contraband, along with intrusion by foreign fishing vessels, he said.
Mohd Khairi said between 2022 and 2024, 138 arrest cases involving various offences were recorded, with seizures exceeding RM10mil.
“The high profile cases include the seizure of 11 boats used to ferry 121 illegal immigrants from various countries and one involving two speedboats carrying clove cigarettes worth RM2.95mil,” he said, Bernama reported.
Mohd Khairi said the agency conducts annual operations with Indonesian Maritime Security Agency, adding that this collaboration enters its 31st series this year.
The operation is aimed at boosting readiness in facing security threats along maritime borders,” he said.
Both countries, he said, also cooperate through intelligence information exchanges and joint search and rescue operations with Indonesia National Search and Rescue Agency, culminating with the annual Malaysia-Indonesia search and rescue exercise.
This exercise is to assess the effectiveness of coordination and to strengthen the standard operating procedures of Asean search and rescue operations.
Aside from stationing six high speed intercepting boats in the area under the jurisdiction of the Melaka and Negri Sembilan MMEA, the agency’s monitoring has been enhanced by the use of the Malaysian maritime sea surveillance system stationed at Pulau Undan, which has the capability of tracking as far as 20 to 50 nautical miles.
“Drones are also being used to obtain information from hard to access locations.
“This has allowed for a more efficient and accurate actions to tackle maritime threats,” he said.
