Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
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The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (Abbreviation: MMEA; Malay: Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia; APMM) also known as the Malaysian Coast Guard is the principal government agency tasked with maintaining law and order and coordinating search and rescue operations in the Malaysian Maritime Zone and on the high seas. It is in effect the Coast Guard of Malaysia but does not belong and has no plans to be integrated into the Malaysian Armed Forces. The Agency and its members are part of the Malaysian Civil Service and reports directly to the Prime Minister's Department. In times of war, special crisis or emergency, the Agency may be placed under the command of the Malaysian Armed Forces by order of the Minister. Currently, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, The Rt. Hon. Dato' Seri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak is the Minister responsible for the MMEA.
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[edit] Background
The history of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency began with the creation of a Nucleus Team led by Datuk Abu Talib bin Haji Harun, tasked with the objective of organizing the creation of the Agency. The Agency was formally established with the enactment of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Act 2004 (Act 633) by the Malaysian Parliament in May 2004. Subsequently, the Act received the Royal Assent from the Yang Di Pertuan Agong on 25 June 2004 and was gazetted on 1 July of the same year. On 15 February 2005, the Act came into force. The Agency achieved operational status on 30 November 2005 with the commencement of patrols by MMEA vessels.
[edit] Organization
[edit] Director General of Malaysian Maritime Enforcement
A Director General of Malaysian Maritime Enforcement appointed by the Yang Di Pertuan Agong (King) on the advice of the Prime Minister under Section 4(1) of the Act is responsible for the operational direction, command, control and supervision of the Agency. Administratively, the Director General reports directly to the Senior Deputy Secretary-General of the Prime Minister's Department and the Chief Secretary to the Government. By virtue of his office, he is also the head of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Service. The Director General is assisted by three Deputy Directors General, each responsible for Management, Operations and Logistics. The post is an open one enabling any civil, military or police officer to be appointed to the post. For the purposes of discipline, the Director General is considered to be a member of the general public service of the Federation under Section 4(4). At present the Director General of Malaysian Maritime Enforcement is Vice Admiral Dato' Mohammad bin Nik, former Royal Malaysian Navy Fleet Operations Commander.
[edit] Officers and other ranks
The officers and other ranks of the MMEA are appointed by the Public Service Commission as Maritime Enforcement Service officers under Section 5(1) of the Act and are considered civil servants under the Malaysian Civil Service. The Agency also consists of officers and staff from various other Services such as the Administrative and Diplomatic Service, Judicial and Legal Service, Information System Service and others. These personnel are primarily involved in matters of administration, finance, procurement, human resource management, legal affairs and prosecution, and information technology.
[edit] Headquarters
The headquarters of the Agency is situated at One IOI Square, IOI Resort, Putrajaya, close to the federal administrative centre of Malaysia. The Agency HQ was formerly based in Cyberjaya before it shifted to the present address in April 2006.
[edit] Operational areas
The operational area of the Agency is the Malaysian Maritime Zone which is divided into 5 Maritime Regions consisting of 18 Maritime Districts.
| Region | Operational Area | Regional Headquarters |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Peninsular Maritime Region | Langkawi Island-Bernam River | Langkawi, Kedah |
| District | Operational Area | Headquarters |
| Maritime District 1 | Langkawi Island-Kuala Muda | Bukit Malut, Langkawi |
| Maritime District 2 | Kuala Muda-Parit Buntar | Batu Uban, Penang |
| Maritime District 3 | Parit Buntar-Bernam River | Lumut, Perak |
| Region | Operational Area | Regional Headquarters |
| Southern Peninsular Maritime Region | Bernam River-Endau | Johore Bahru, Johore |
| District | Operational Area | Headquarters |
| Maritime District 4 | Bernam River-Sepang | Port Klang, Selangor |
| Maritime District 5 | Sepang-Kuala Kesang | Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan |
| Maritime District 6 | Kuala Kesang-Johore Causeway | Johore Bahru, Johore |
| Maritime District 7 | Johore Causeway-Endau | Tanjung Sedili, Johore |
| Region | Operational Area | Regional Headquarters |
| Eastern Peninsular Maritime Region | Endau-Tumpat | Kuantan, Pahang |
| District | Operational Area | Headquarters |
| Maritime District 8 | Endau-Tanjung Geliga | Kuantan, Pahang |
| Maritime District 9 | Tanjung Geliga-Besut | Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu |
| Maritime District 10 | Besut-Tumpat | Tok Bali, Kelantan |
| Region | Operational Area | Regional Headquarters |
| Sarawak Maritime Region | Tanjung Datu-Tanjung Baram | Kuching, Sarawak |
| District | Operational Area | Headquarters |
| Maritime District 11 | Tanjung Datu-Igan | Kuching, Sarawak |
| Maritime District 12 | Igan-Tanjung Payong | Bintulu, Sarawak |
| Maritime District 13 | Tanjung Payong-Tanjung Baram | Miri, Sarawak |
| Region | Operational Area | Regional Headquarters |
| Sabah Maritime Region | Tanjung Baram-Pulau Sebatik | Kota Kinabalu, Sabah |
| District | Operational Area | Headquarters |
| Maritime District 14 | Tanjung Baram-Kuala Penyu | Labuan |
| Maritime District 15 | Kuala Penyu-Kampung Mendawang | Kota Kinabalu, Sabah |
| Maritime District 16 | Kampung Mendawang-Beluran | Kudat, Sabah |
| Maritime District 17 | Beluran-Kunak | Sandakan, Sabah |
| Maritime District 18 | Kunak-Pulau Sebatik | Tawau, Sabah |
[edit] Ranks
Ranks for officers and other ranks in the Agency are derived from the Royal Malaysian Navy. Officer and Warrant Officer insignia are similar to that of their naval counterparts. Chevrons are used to denote the ranks of Chief Petty Officer and below.
[edit] Malaysian Maritime Zone
[edit] Internal waters and territorial sea
- Territorial Sea: 12 nautical miles (22 km) from baseline
- Sovereignty: part of the territory of Malaysia.
- Subject to the right of innocent passage for all vessels
[edit] Contiguous zone
- 24 nautical miles (44 km) from coast.
- Jurisdiction to prevent or punish infringement of customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws.
[edit] Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
- 200 nautical miles (370 km) from coast.
- Sovereign rights over the management of the resources of the seabed and water column.
- Jurisdiction in respect of: - construction of artificial islands- marine scientific research - protection and preservation of the marine environment.
- Subject to the rights of other States including: freedoms of navigation, overflight, and laying of submarine cables.
[edit] Continental shelf
- 200 nautical miles or to the extent of the continental margin.
- Sovereign rights over the management of the resources of the seabed but not the water column.
- Jurisdiction in respect of: -construction of artificial islands - drilling on the continental shelf.
- Subject to the rights of other States including freedoms of navigation, overflight, laying of submarine cables and revenue sharing.
[edit] Ship names
KM means Kapal Maritim
[edit] Weaponry
[edit] Current Assets
- KM Marlin (Training coast guard ship)
