SUBANG JAYA, Aug 13 — The sovereignty of the country’s 556,285 square kilometres (km) of waters is now strengthened with the receipt of the first of four Medium Lift AW189 helicopters acquired for use by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the helicopter would enhance the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency’s capabilities in carrying out aerial surveillance, enforcement, search and rescue (SAR) operations, medical evacuation (medevac) and special operations.
He said the acquisition of the sophisticated asset was important in facing the increasingly complex maritime security landscape, including the threat of cross-border crime, encroachment on fisheries resources and smuggling.
“Our maritime zone is very vast, so it is very important for the government to show a strong commitment to support enforcement agencies such as the MMEA,” he said at a press conference after the Malaysian Maritime AW189 Helicopter Reception Ceremony at the Subang Maritime Air Station here today.
Also present were Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Awang Alik Jeman and MMEA director-general Admiral Maritime Datuk Rosli Abdullah.
The procurement of four helicopters worth RM529 million was approved through the Fourth Rolling Plan of the Eleventh Malaysia Plan (11MP), under a five-year contract with manufacturer Leonardo.
The AW189 helicopter has an operating range of up to 1,166km and a maximum speed of 313km per hour, and can operate in various weather conditions while carrying five crew members and 14 passengers for rapid response operations at sea.
Saifuddin Nasution said the company had completed the project on schedule and the remaining three AW189 helicopters were expected to arrive in the country by the end of December.
“Apart from asset empowerment, focus is now also being given to developing personnel capacity to ensure they are skilled in operating the new aircraft’s sophisticated technology,” he said.
With the addition of the new helicopters, MMEA’s air fleet will increase from the current six helicopters to nine by the end of the year, further strengthening the agency’s record in guarding the country’s waters.
As of July 24, MMEA had carried out more than 116,192 inspections, with seizures valued at more than RM4.38 billion, while search and rescue operations had successfully rescued 638 victims in 129 cases.
Meanwhile, he said the government expected to receive another strategic asset, namely a mothership, in the first quarter of next year to further strengthen operations in the deep sea. — Bernama
