Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia | |
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Abbreviation | MMEA / APMM |
Logo of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency | |
Flag of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency | |
Motto |
Mengawal Melindung Menyelamat Guard Protect Save |
Agency overview | |
Formed | 15 February 2005–present |
Employees | 7,000 Officers |
Legal personality | Governmental: Government agency |
Jurisdictional structure | |
National agency (Operations jurisdiction) | Malaysia |
Legal jurisdiction | Malaysian Maritime Zone |
Governing body | Government of Malaysia |
Constituting instrument | Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Act 2004 [Act 633] |
General nature |
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Operational structure | |
Headquarters | Federal Government Administrative Centre Putrajaya |
Agency executive | Laksamana Maritim Dato' Sri Hj Ahmad Puzi bin Hj Ab Kahar, Director General of Malaysian Maritime Enforcement |
Parent agency | Prime Minister's Department |
Facilities | |
Helicopters | Aérospatiale AS 365 Dauphin; AgustaWestland AW139 |
Amphibious Aircraft | Bombardier 415 |
Website | |
www |
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (Malay: Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia), abbreviated APMM, MMEA or also known as 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. The Agency is not part of nor are there any plans for it be integrated into the Malaysian Armed Forces. The Agency and its members are part of the Malaysian Federal Civil Agency and report directly to the Prime Minister's Department.
History
The history of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency began with the report on the Feasibility Study on the Establishment of Malaysian Coastguard conducted by National Security Council, Prime Minister's Department. The findings of the report was agreed to by the Government and a Nucleus Team led by Ducktuk Abu Talib bin Haji Harun, was created with the objective of organising 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. The agency maintains close ties with the United States and Japanese coast guards. The agency carries out law enforcement work during peace time.
Organisation
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 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 Admiral Datuk Ahmad Fuzi bin Ab Kahar MMEA, former Deputy Directors General of Operations .
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. With the exception of the Director, all other MMEA officers are not commissioned by the Yang Di Pertuan Agong (King). This means that Malaysian armed forces personnel may not give an honour salute to MMEA officers.
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.
Academy
The Akademi Maritim Sultan Ahmad Shah (AMSAS) or Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Academy is a coast guard academy. It is located at Gebeng near Kuantan, Pahang.
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 |
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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 | Johor Bahru, Johor |
District | Operational Area | Headquarters |
Maritime District 4 | Bernam River-Sepang | Port Klang, Selangor |
Maritime District 5 | Sepang-Kuala Kesang | Linggi, Melaka |
Maritime District 6 | Kuala Kesang-Johor Causeway | Johor Bahru, Johor |
Maritime District 7 | Johore Causeway-Endau | Tanjung Sedili, Johor |
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 |
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.
Insignia | Rank | Maritime Enforcement Service Grade | Equivalent Civil Service Grade | Equivalent Army/Malaysian Air Force Rank |
Rear Admiral Maritime / Malay: Laksamana Muda Maritim | Premier Grade C | Premier Grade C | Major General | |
First Admiral Maritime / Malay: Laksamana Pertama Maritim | X26 | Grade 54 | Brigadier General | |
No Image | No Equivalent | No Equivalent | Grade 54 | No Equivalent |
Captain Maritime / Malay: Kapten Maritim | X24 | Grade 52 | Colonel | |
Commander Maritime / Malay: Komander Maritim | X22 | Grade 48 | Lieutenant Colonel | |
Lieutenant Commander Maritime / Malay: Leftenan Komander Maritim | X20 | Grade 46A | Major | |
Lieutenant Maritime / Malay: Leftenan Maritim | X17/X18 | Grade 41 | Captain | |
Sub Lieutenant Maritime / Malay: Leftenan Madya Maritim | X16 | Grade 32 | Lieutenant | |
Acting Sub Lieutenant Maritime / Malay: Leftenan Muda Maritim | X13 | Grade 27 | Second Lieutenant | |
Warrant Officer I Maritime / Malay: Pegawai Waran I Maritim | X12 | Grade 26 | Warrant Officer I | |
Warrant Officer II Maritime / Malay: Pegawai Waran II Maritim | X10 | Grade 22 | Warrant Officer II | |
Chief Petty Officer Maritime / Malay: Bintara Kanan Maritim | X8 | Grade 20 | Staff Sergeant | |
Petty Officer Maritime / Malay: Bintara Muda Maritim | X6 | Grade 20 | Sergeant | |
Leading Rate Maritime / Malay: Laskar Kanan Maritim | X4 | Grade 20 | Corporal | |
Able Rate Maritime / Malay: Laskar Kelas I Maritim | X2 | Grade 17 | Lance Corporal | |
Junior Able Rate Maritime / Malay: Laskar Kelas II Maritim | X1 | Grade 17 | Junior Lance Corporal |
Special forces
The MMEA currently have their own Special Forces unit. Called the STAR (Special Task And Rescue). It is composed of members from the Royal Malaysian Air Force's PASKAU and Royal Malaysian Navy's PASKAL. Their task is to do hostage rescue works in shallow waters that are under MMEA's power. They are also tasked to do anti-terrorist actions in Malaysian waters alongside the Malaysian Navy. The STAR team are considerably well trained as the members are taken from (Royal Malaysian Air Force) and the Royal Malaysian Navy Special Forces.
On 2 July 2009, the first batch of fresh commando units graduated from Basic Commando Selection alongside the Royal Malaysian Airforce SFs, PASKAU. They were given American Styled ACUs (Army Combat Uniform), blue PASKAU berets and also the Malaysian Army Zebra Woodland Camouflage uniform.
Malaysian maritime zone
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
Contiguous zone
- 24 nautical miles (44 km) from coast.
- Jurisdiction to prevent or punish infringement of customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws.
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.
Continental shelf
- 200 nautical miles (370 km) 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.
Strength and equipment
References
External links
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