‘Sea guardians' risk lives to safeguard country's sovereignty

The Sun

4 days ago

LUMUT: For Malaysian 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, Mohamad Shukri said the 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 by fishermen.
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 sabotaged in such cases. Given that a boat can 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 12,000 square kilometres, Mohamad Shukri said the MMEA often receives reports of violations under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952 from the maritime surveillance system (SWASLA) and the state Marine Department.
He said there have been cases of merchant ships anchoring without the Marine Department's permission and refusing to cooperate during inspections, prompting the state maritime operations centre to request helicopter support and deploy the special task and rescue team from Putrajaya to carry out force boarding operations.
Mohamad Shukri also recalled an incident during a patrol in the sea 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, recalling the episode from about 15 years ago.
In conjunction with the upcoming National Day 2025 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 at sea. If everyone plays their part, then our waters will truly be free,' he said.
Themed 'Malaysia MADANI: Rakyat Disantuni,' 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 and related events are available on the official portal www.merdeka360.my or via the Merdeka360 social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and X. - Bernama