PORT KLANG: Securing the country’s waters spanning over 500,000sq km from the threat of cross-border crime requires a high level of readiness from the Special Task and Rescue (STAR) Team of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).
As an elite unit responsible for carrying out high-risk operations, the team plays a critical role in ensuring the Malaysian Maritime Zone remains safe from any form of intrusion and violence.
STAR Team commander Maritime Kapt Syuzefril Mat Noor said the team, established in March 2005, has two main responsibilities: conducting assault operations and special rescue missions in the country’s waters.
He said that with a strength of 150 members, the team has proven its capability through various major missions, including the rescue of the MT Orkim Harmony tanker in the Gulf of Thailand in 2015 together with the Royal Malaysian Navy’s Special Warfare Forces (Paskal), Ops Daulat (2013) and the rescue of the drifting Winposh Rampart vessel in the South China Sea (2022).
“The main role of the STAR Team is special assault and rescue operations, such as operations against maritime terrorism in the country’s waters; for example, during hostage rescue missions or maritime crimes on ships or offshore facilities.
“We also possess specialised expertise in sea surface rescue operations involving confined spaces or sunken vessels, which require us to focus more on special missions.
“Every day, we conduct training and remain on standby for any threats,” he said in an interview with Bernama recently.
Kapt Syuzefril said the STAR Team also plays an important role in curbing cases of ship robberies by foreigners, most of which have been reported in Johor waters.
“The crimes include stealing valuable items, threatening crew members and using machetes, all carried out by foreigners using small boats,” he said.
Touching on asset modernisation, he said that in conjunction with the 21st anniversary of its establishment, the STAR Team is currently in the process of acquiring 40 units of Diver Propulsion Vehicles, or underwater scooters, to enhance diving operation efficiency, in addition to several other assets in line with technological advancements.
He said the team’s empowerment is based on the “3M” concept – Man, Machine and Method – where the efficiency of personnel must be supported by the latest technology to ensure that every mission is carried out effectively.
He said that currently, the team has several assets of its own, including boats, but still relies on MMEA assets such as helicopters to carry out operations.
In addition to maritime operations, Kapt Syuzefril said the STAR Team is expanding its tactical capabilities through parachute training, which was previously applied in operations involving “ghost ships”, or crewless vessels, drifting in Terengganu waters.
To maintain global standards, the team often undergoes joint training with other elite units such as Paskal, as well as international exercises with the US Marine Corps and the Japan Coast Guard.
Regarding the selection process, he said that only the best candidates are chosen through a rigorous screening process that includes identity modules, endurance runs, water and land fitness tests, and phobia tests before qualifying for a three-month basic commando course.
Kapt Syuzefril said the team received international recognition from the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency after helping to thwart an attempt to transfer illegal crude oil involving the vessels MT Arman 114 and MT S Tinos in 2023.
“This shows that other countries also appreciate the team for their collaborative efforts,” he added.
