MMEA TO ACQUIRE FOUR MORE AW189 HELICOPTERS IN TWO YEARS - SAIFUDDIN

KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) will acquire four more Augusta Westland AW189 medium lift helicopters within two years.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the acquisition of these new assets is in line with their essential role of policing the country's vast waters and to check potential threats including kidnapping for ransom.

"MMEA is a very important agency for the country, therefore, today we are entering into a contract to supply four units of helicopter which must be completed within two years by the company that has won it," he told a press conference here today.

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Earlier, Saifuddin witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Home Ministry by secretary-general Datuk Ruji Ubi and Galaxy Aerospace represented by its managing director Shamsul Kamar Samsuddin for the acquisition of the helicopters.

Meanwhile, MMEA acting director-general Vice Admiral Datuk Saiful Lizan Ibrahim said all the helicopters worth almost RM530 million will be built by Leonardo Helicopters and aircraft will be stationed in Sandakan, Sabah.

"We (MMEA) plan to build an airport or maritime air station next to Sandakan," he told Bernama at the ceremony held outside the Defence Services Asia (DSA) and National Security Exhibition (NATSEC) Asia 2024, here. 

He said with the acquisition of the new helicopters MMEA will be able to improve air monitoring more widely and carry out Search and Rescue operations over longer distance and duration.

"This will enable MMEA to have 10 aircraft including the existing six consisting of two AW139 helicopters, three AS365 N3 Dauphin helicopters and a Bombardier CL-415 MP aircraft," he said.

-- BERNAMA