LANGKAWI, May 25 — The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) needs at least 10 Mobile Surveillance Units to increase its monitoring capabilities apart from the existing Remote Sensor Sites (RSS).
MMEA acting director-general Admiral Datuk Saiful Lizan Ibrahim said that, with a detection capability of up to 25 nautical miles from its location, the MSU radar is a short-term initiative in preventing crimes such as illegal trade, smuggling and illegal fishing.
“The MSU’s surveillance capabilities include Radar, AIS (Automatic Identification System), GPS (Global Positioning System) and Mobile Communication System.
“But, at the same time, we are developing it under our procurement programme… placing these radars to focus on the East Coast and the eastern side of Sabah and the next phase in the waters of Sarawak, that is still under the programme,” he told reporters after attending the handover ceremony of one unit of the MSU to the MMEA, earlier today.
AMP Corporation (M) Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Seri Mustaffa Abd Rahman handed over the MSU unit to Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Ruji Ubi and witnessed by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail at the Malaysian Maritime booth in conjunction with the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2023 (LIMA’23) here.
The MSU will provide maximum sensor coverage, expand maritime coverage and form an almost real-time surface picture to ensure more efficient patrols and search and rescue (SAR) operations.
The MSU, each costing RM4 million, will also complement the role of the Malaysian Maritime Surveillance System (SWASLA) in detecting suspicious activities along the ‘rat lanes’ to stop smuggling or encroachment activities in the country’s waters.
The MSU radar system will also detect any object or image in SAR operations and is adapted to four-wheel drive vehicles as a detection platform for various types of operations.
— Bernama
