KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 9 (Bernama) — Japan has contributed towards ensuring maritime safety and security in Malaysian waters which is vital for the passage of international shipping, with its donation of four long-range acoustic devices (LRAD) to Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).
According to a statement by Embassy of Japan in Malaysia the equipment, which will be handed over by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), will be utilised for maritime law enforcement activities in the seas around Malaysia.
“Prior to this, Japan has dispatched experts to MMEA through JICA to conduct a variety of technical cooperation projects in the field of maritime law enforcement, search and rescue operations and so on since the establishment of MMEA in 2005,” said the statement.
The statement said Japan also contributed two large patrol vessels, KM Arau and KM Pekan, to Malaysia in 2016 and both patrol vessels have been playing a vital role in protecting Malaysian waters till today.
“The cooperation among JICA, Japan Coast Guard (JCG) and MMEA represents solid bilateral coast guard relations between Japan and Malaysia,” it added.
In a related development, the embassy said a Maritime Law Enforcement workshop on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing was held in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah today (Jan 9) under the cooperation of JICA, JCG and MMEA.
The workshop held aboard KM Arau included lectures on international laws and the use of LRAD against IUU fishing vessels in cooperation with trainers from JCG.
Ambassador of Japan to Malaysia Takahashi Katsuhiko, in his opening remarks at the event, hoped that the workshop will further enhance the long-standing bilateral relations between Japan and Malaysia in promoting maritime security in the region.
He added that 2023 marks the 50th commemorative year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation.
— BERNAMA