The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency also supplies special task forces when necessary for marine-related security situations. -- Handout
The borderless ocean complicates the security of any nation. However, the fact remains that the maritime realm will always be an essential part of human survivability. But for it to give the best to us, it calls for us to ensure not only a healthy ocean but a secure one.
In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, while the Malaysian government’s attention is focused on public order and tightening control of the movement of people across the country, it should not neglect the vulnerability of our maritime borders. They can be exploited during bleak times like these – the recent illegal landing of 250 Rohingya refugees on a Langkawi beach demonstrates the need for continuous vigilance over Malaysian waters, since threats from both traditional and nontraditional sources are never-ending.
