MMEA BOAT RESPONSE TO DISTRESS AT SEA IN 30 MINUTES

KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
(MMEA) responding to a distress at sea has to send a boat within 30 minutes and
a ship within two hours, the House of Representatives was told Monday.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Ahmad Maslan said
this requirement was contained in the MMEA charter.

He was replying to a question from Tan Tee Beng, a member of parliament who
had wanted to know what was meant by maritime effectiveness in the northern
region and the number of speed boats and officers there and the speed at which
they can assist fishermen in distress.

Ahmad Maslan said 542 personnel with seven ships, 16 speed boats and three
normal boats were utilised to ensure security in the northern maritime region
spanning 24,996.7 square nautical miles.

He also said that aircraft were also used for patrols in the most strategic
waters stretching from Sabak Bernam in Selangor to the Malaysia-Thailand border
close to Langkawi in Kedah.


The deputy minister said that the northern maritime region was large and
stretched up to Malaysia's borders with Indonesia and Thailand and provided
entry to and exit from the Straits of Melaka and, as such, was divided into
three maritime districts -- one, two and three -- for easier patrolling.

He said that last year, MMEA conducted 2,708 inspections on vessels and
recorded 194 offences.

Also, during that year, it conducted 22 search-and-rescue operations and
saved 74 people, he added.

-- BERNAMA



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