KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — Malaysia and Singapore today established a collaboration to strengthen the Submarine Emergency Escape and Rescue (SMER) capabilities between the two countries.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the collaboration would benefit both countries through the sharing of expertise and equipment in the event of a disaster.
“We believe that collaboration with any country, such as Singapore, can help us in the event of a disaster... to get cooperation from other countries, it might take time due to distance factors.
“Based on the Asean spirit and with Singapore being a neighbouring country, it is appropriate for us to have such cooperation,” he told reporters after receiving a courtesy call from Singaporean Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing in conjunction with his official visit to Malaysia at Wisma Pertahanan here today.
Khaled said not many Asean countries have submarines besides Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Earlier, Khaled and Chan witnessed the signing ceremony for the “Arrangement Between the Government of Malaysia and the Government of The Republic of Singapore for Mutual Submarine Rescue Support and Cooperation”.
The document was signed by Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) chief Tan Sri Zulhelmy Ithnain and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) Sean Wat.
Khaled said that as neighbouring countries sharing strategic waterways, the cooperation would enable Malaysia and Singapore to act more quickly, systematically, and effectively when facing any submarine emergency.
Meanwhile, the RMN in a statement today announced that the RMN Submarine Force Command and RSN have been designated as the main agencies responsible for the supervision and implementation of the initiative, while national rescue coordinators from both countries will also be appointed to ensure smooth communication and operational implementation.
“The operational coverage areas have also been identified to include key waters such as the South China Sea, the Singapore Strait, and the Malacca Strait... this will ensure rescue capabilities can be implemented in important maritime routes for regional security and international trade,” read the statement.
The statement also said that through this collaboration, both countries are committed to providing rescue aid for incidents involving submarines in distress.
Access to a complete SMER system and up-to-date operational framework also strengthens the readiness of the forces to carry out high-risk operations.
According to the statement, the cooperation involves the exchange of technical data and operational information between the two parties. With system alignment and more uniform procedures, operational coordination can be carried out more quickly and effectively during an actual incident.
