| MMEA To Become The Only Maritime Enforcement Agency By 2011 |
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PUTRAJAYA, Nov 3 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) will become the only maritime enforcement agency in the country by 2011 when the takeover of assets of other enforcement agencies is completed.
Operations deputy director-general Rear Admiral Datuk Noor Aziz Yunan said the takeover had to be done as the many maritime enforcement agencies caused financial strain on the government.
He said moves to takeover the assets of eight other maritime enforcement agencies had already started.
The agencies are; the Marine Department, Fisheries Department, Immigration Department, Marine Police, Customs Department, Department of Environment, Royal Malaysian Navy and the Royal Malaysian Air Force.
Noor Aziz said when implemented, all acts under other maritime agencies would be enforced by MMEA adding officers of other agencies would be given the option to join.
He added MMEA had to repair and refurbish old vessels and acquire new ones to make enforcement more effective.
It would also step up cooperation with the people to check pollution in Malaysian waters, particularly the Straits of Melaka.
"Fishermen and crew of vessels can provide us information on the discharge of oil at night."
He said the agency's Bombarbier C1415 aircraft was being equipped with sophisticated system to trace oil discharge and to arrest the suspects.
MMEA has been placed under the Prime Minister's Department.
-- BERNAMA
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