22/04/2026

WEDNESDAY | APR 22, 2026 5 Case-by-case aid for fire victims PUTRAJAYA: With more than 9,000 individuals displaced and entire houses reduced to ashes, the government has yet to determine how many victims of the Kampung Bahagia fire may be lacking proper identification documents. Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said any documentation issues would be handled on a case-by-case basis only after the ongoing registration exercise is completed. He emphasised that the immediate priority was to ensure all affected residents are placed in temporary relief centres as state and federal agencies continue gathering details of victims from the April 19 inferno. “Because more than 9,000 victims were involved and more than 1,000 houses over the water were affected, the Sabah government together with all relevant state and federal agencies is currently carrying out the registration process. “Our immediate priority is to first provide them with temporary evacuation or relief centres.” Saifuddin said it was premature to draw conclusions on documentation issues, as verification efforts were still ongoing. “During the registration process, if we later find cases involving individuals or family members who do not have identification documents, we will handle those cases one by one. We cannot make a blanket statement.” He added that the ministry would assist genuine citizens who had lost their documents in the fire, including facilitating replacements. “As is normally the case, personal documentation is very important and must be properly held. At the same time, such documents also cannot simply be issued to individuals who are not entitled to them. “So the more accurate position is that the Home Ministry will do its best to assist, especially those who genuinely have citizenship status. “If an incident such as this causes them to lose their documents, we can facilitate replacement documents.” However, he emphasised that not all victims would automatically qualify for assistance. “This does not mean we will simply approve everything across the board. Not every victim automatically qualifies. We will deal with each case individually.” The pre-dawn fire on April 19 destroyed about 1,000 of Kampung Bahagia’s 1,200 water village homes, displacing 9,007 residents. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim previously said the federal government was working closely with Sabah to ensure immediate aid and temporary shelter for those affected. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said on Monday that the ministry stood ready to deploy personnel to assess the situation on the ground. – By Faiz Ruzman Woman held, five firearms seized in raid KOTA BHARU: Police arrested a woman and seized five firearms of various types during a raid on a house in Kampung Miak, Kuala Krai. General Operations Force Southeast Brigade Commander SAC Ahmad Radzi Hussain said the raid was carried out at 6.45pm on Monday under Ops Bersepadu Khazanah, involving the 8th Battalion, the Kelantan Forestry Department and the Wildlife and National Parks Department. He said the operation was conducted following intelligence on activities involving the storage of protected wildlife parts. “The team identified themselves as senior police officers by showing their authority cards before inspecting the house. During the inspection, five firearms of various types were discovered.” Ahmad Radzi said that the suspect was detained to assist investigations for offences related to the Firearms Act, while the seized items were taken to the Gua Musang police headquarters for further action. – Bernama

M’sia commissions second multi-purpose vessel

o Move part of push to strengthen maritime operational readiness, says Home minister

zones most exposed to criminal activity and smuggling. He also pointed to increasingly complex border crimes driven by price distortions. “When diesel in the open market reaches about RM6 a litre while fishermen enjoy subsidised fuel at RM1.65, the price gap could drive smuggling activity at sea. “The Strait of Malacca is an important route for world trade, and that too forms part of MMEA’s enforcement responsibility.” The Letter of Acceptance for the second vessel was issued on Jan 7, 2026 during Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s official visit to Ankara, while the steel-cutting ceremony took place on Feb 11, 2026 at Desan Shipyard in Turkiye. Saifuddin said the government’s selection of Desan reflects confidence in the shipbuilder’s experience. He added that the first vessel is expected to be ready for presentation at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition in April 2027, if progress remains on track. “The acquisition of the two vessels reflects the government’s continued commitment to strengthening national maritime security and enhancing MMEA’s enforcement capability. “At the same time, this collaboration also strengthens the strategic partnership between Malaysia and Turkiye in the fields of defence and security.”

the first and the second vessels can be completed on time,” he said after witnessing the contract signing ceremony yesterday. The agreement was signed between Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Awang Alik Jeman and Desan Shipyard representative Cenk Ismail Kaptanoglu, in the presence of Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director-general Admiral Datuk Mohd Rosli Abdullah. Saifuddin said the second vessel is part of a broader push to strengthen the MMEA’s operational readiness across Malaysia’s vast maritime zone spanning about 590,000 sq km. He added that the agency’s responsibilities extend up to 200 nautical miles into the Exclusive Economic Zone, where it faces threats ranging from foreign intrusions and illegal fishing to maritime smuggling and search-and-rescue operations. “When we improve this asset, we improve patrol capability, radar capability, communications capability and enforcement capability.” Describing the MPMS as a “mothership”, Saifuddin said the vessel would be able to remain at sea longer, carry more personnel and support helicopter operations, significantly boosting the MMEA’s reach in high-risk areas identified through its threat mapping. He said deployment would be based on operational data, particularly in maritime

Ű BY FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia is doubling down on its maritime defences, formalising the acquisition of a second Multi Purpose Mission Ship (MPMS) as authorities race to keep pace with rising threats at sea. Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the construction contract for the vessel, approved under the 12th Malaysia Plan’s Fifth Rolling Plan, has been awarded to Turkiye’s Desan Shipyard for US$83.75 million, with construction scheduled from Feb 1, 2026 to Jan 31, 2028. The move comes as the first vessel is already ahead of schedule, reaching 68.91% completion – 2.91% or about 20 days in advance. “The construction of the first vessel is showing very encouraging progress. “It is ahead of schedule, and because of that performance we are optimistic that both

MMEA personnel inspect a

model of the MPMS vessel in Putrajaya yesterday. – ADAM AMIR HAMZAH/ THESUN

MMEA mulls use of non-lethal weapons for enforcement KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) is currently examining the use of non-lethal weapons, including electric guns, as part of a more flexible and controlled enforcement approach. Its deputy director-general (Logistics) Maritime Admiral Datuk Saiful Lizan Ibrahim said the approach to the use of the weapons is in line with international enforcement practices. director-general Maritime Admiral Datuk Mohd Rosli Abdullah at the opening ceremony of the Defence Services Asia Exhibition and the National Security Asia Exhibition 2026 on Monday. He said MMEA is now fully focused on modernising the weaponry system to strengthen enforcement capabilities in the country’s waters.

Saiful Lizan said in the current landscape, the needs of the agency are not just about enhancing the capabilities of assets such as ships and aircraft but also require relevant weaponry and technology support. However, he added that the focus of the modernisation of the MMEA is not limited to the addition of assets alone but also involves comprehensive integration encompassing armaments, monitoring systems and intelligence elements. “It is to ensure that every operation is carried out responsively and could handle any threat quickly and effectively.” He said all the initiatives outlined also take into account aspects of legal compliance, operational effectiveness and the safety of personnel as the agency’s main priorities. – Bernama

He added that the current maritime operational environment requires the readiness of personnel to be at an optimum level through the support of technology. “The operational environment is now much more challenging with increasingly complex cross-border threats. MMEA needs to keep pace with technological advancements to ensure that every enforcement action is more effective and safer.”

He also said the agency is evaluating the need for the use of international standard duty sidearms, particularly for high-risk situations such as inspecting foreign fishing vessels or cross-border criminal activities. “The step is important to ensure the safety of the members is always guaranteed when facing uncertain situations at sea.” Earlier, Saiful Lizan represented MMEA