15/08/2025

FRIDAY | AUG 15, 2025

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‘Sea guardians’ risk lives to safeguard sovereignty

Penang to host three major Asean naval events GEORGE TOWN: Penang will take centre stage in regional maritime defence as the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) hosts three key Asean naval events from today until Aug 22 under Malaysia’s Asean Chairmanship. The week-long programme includes the 19th Asean Navy Chiefs’ Meeting (ANCM), Third Asean Multilateral Naval Exercise (Amnex) and the Asean Fleet Review, with activities across George Town and Batu Ferringhi. ANCM Working Committee deputy chairman Rear Admiral Datuk Mohd Fadzli Kamal Mohd Mohaldin told Bernama that the events will feature 10 warships, seven from Asean countries and three from RMN, bringing about 1,600 naval personnel to Penang’s Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal. He said the programme begins with the arrival of the vessels today. It will be followed by the Amnex Opening Ceremony and its Port Phase tomorrow, which allows naval officers to finalise plans for the joint sea exercises. RMN will also host the Naval Engineering Conference themed “Innovation and Technology Towards Improving Ship Survivability at Sea”. A highlight open to the public is the Asean Navies’ City Parade on Sunday at the Esplanade in Padang Kota Lama, held alongside Penang’s Hari Buletin 4.0 event. The parade commemorates the historic 1990 International Royal Fleet Review, which saw 59 warships and over 11,000 naval personnel visit Penang. Visitors will also have the rare opportunity to tour the docked warships at Swettenham Pier, gaining insights into the latest naval technologies. The programme includes parades by the various contingents, local agency display, cultural performances, maritime asset salutes and RMN helicopter flypasts. The 19th ANCM, a high-level meeting of Asean naval commanders to strengthen maritime cooperation and trust, will convene on Aug 19 at Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort in Batu Ferringhi. Delegates will then attend the Asean Chief Navy Interaction Programme at Penang Hill on Aug 20. The grand finale, the Asean Fleet Review on Aug 21, will see all participating warships sail in formation through the northern strait, a spectacle visible from Butterworth and George Town.

sabotaged in such cases. Given that a boat could cost tens of thousands of ringgit, these risks understandably cause great concern among fishermen,” he added. In Perak, which has a maritime area of about 12,000sq km, Mohamad Shukri said MMEA often receives reports of violations under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952 from the maritime surveillance system and the state Marine Department. He said there have been cases of merchant ships anchoring without Marine Department permission and refusing to cooperate during inspections, prompting the state maritime operations centre to request helicopter support and deploy a special task and rescue team from Putrajaya to carry out force boarding operations. Mohamad Shukri also recounted an incident during a sea patrol at dusk, when his team was in pursuit of a Thai fishing vessel and their patrol boat became entangled in fishing net ropes at the scene. “This forced me to halt the boat immediately. The rope had to be cut and our crew had to dive into the sea in the fading light, just before Maghrib. “ Had we not gone into the water, we might not have made it back and could have been stranded, as the incident happened more than 100 nautical miles out in the middle of the sea,” he said, adding that the incident occurred about 15 years ago. In conjunction with the upcoming National Day celebrations, he urged the maritime community to fulfil their responsibility in safeguarding maritime safety with dedication, transparency and adherence to the law. “Independence is not just a celebration – it is a responsibility. All parties must obey the law, share information and refrain from protecting criminals.” This year’s National Day celebration will be held at Dataran Putrajaya on Aug 31, while Malaysia Day will be celebrated on Sept 16 in Penang. Further details on the National Day and Malaysia Day programmes are available on the official portal www.merdeka360.my or via the Merdeka360 social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram and X.

o MMEA personnel go through daily vigil to curb maritime crime that could threaten national security, says Perak chief

LUMUT: Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) personnel, the sea is more than a workplace. It is a daily “battlefield” that calls for courage, sacrifice and enduring time apart from loved ones in safeguarding the country’s security and sovereignty. The unwavering struggle of Malaysia’s “sea guardians” along its waters stands as a testament to their patriotism and determination to keep the country peaceful and prosperous. “All these efforts are to ensure that no party can easily encroach into our waters or commit maritime crimes, which could ultimately threaten national security,” Perak MMEA director Maritime Captain Mohamad Shukri Khotob told Bernama recently. With nearly 20 years of service, For Malaysian

Mohamad Shukri said MMEA constantly faces a range of threats, including extortion, human smuggling, illegal fishing by foreign vessels, theft of marine resources and encroachment into fishing zones. He added that efforts to apprehend maritime criminals or investigate offences are often hampered when members of the local fishing community choose to remain silent, either to protect their livelihoods or out of fear that their boats may be seized by influential figures operating at sea. “We have sought assistance from fishing boat operators to disguise themselves as ordinary fishermen, with enforcement officers on board to carry out operations. However, cooperation is rare, as fishermen fear that if criminals identify them, their vessels could be targeted,” he said. “Boats are often stolen, damaged or

Mohamad Shukri said the MMEA faces a range of threats that include extortion, human smuggling, illegal fishing by foreign vessels, theft of marine resources and encroachment into fishing zones. – BERNAMAPIC