SHAH ALAM: Sarawak Coast Guard on the rise. It appears that the Sarawak Coast Guard (SCG) proposed just late last year is set to be stood up soon. With an initial outlay of RM90 million, the SCG will have three patrol boats and 50 personnel for its launch. Bernama reported on June 22 that Sarawak chief minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg as saying the recruitment of personnel and procurement of the patrol boats are under way.
He said the SCG, which was mooted in October last year, is to address various issues including encroachment by foreign and local fishing vessels as well as loss of revenue from the state’s vast sea resources. When announcing the setting up of the SCG last year, he said RM90 million had been allocated under the state’s 2020 budget for the procurement of three patrol boats and recruitment of 50 personnel.
He said the formation of the coast guard unit was made possible through amendments to the state’s Fishery Ordinance 2003.
I am guessing the SCG will concentrate on waters around 12 nautical miles (territorial waters) and up to 24 nautical miles (contiguous zone).
Each coastal State may claim a contiguous zone adjacent to and beyond its territorial sea that extends seaward up to 24 nm from its baselines. In its contiguous zone, a coastal State may exercise the control necessary to prevent the infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws and regulations within its territory or territorial sea, and punish infringement of those laws and regulations committed within its territory or territorial sea. Additionally, in order to control trafficking in archaeological and historical objects found at sea, a coastal State may presume that their removal from the seabed of the contiguous zone without its consent is unlawful.
Apart from newly built patrol boats, Sarawak should also consider leasing many of the oil and gas ships laid idled by the drop in activities due to the low oil prices. These repurposed O&G vessels could be fitted with water cannons as their primary weapons as it will not be prudent to arm them with big calibre guns like a 30mm RWS if they are only leased for short term basis.
For O&G vessels bought outright for the SCG, they could be armed with anything they feel was needed to the job of course. Some might feel the SCG is duplicating the job of the MMEA, police and RMN in protecting the waters off Sarawak but let’s be honest here, their presence there are not that much to begin with. But I guess there is also the political dimension for the formation of the SCG as the state government must be seen to do something especially in the wake of intrusions of China vessels off its waters.
— Malaysian Defence
View Comments (105)
so its operating on state budget??this will be interesting....will navy or MMEA involve in training or early set up?
i think this more to political move but still better than nothing.
Why??
there is no Sarawak state police, there should also be no sarawak state coast guard.
@ Marhalim
"With an initial outlay of RM90"
I think you meant RM90 million, not RM90.
I am a bit conflicted by this. I am from Sarawak, so for me this is good news but at the same time I feel that some of the duties will overlap with MMEA and might create conflict on who does what.
IMO it would be preferable it a MMEA regional command be setup somewhere near the coast like Bintulu or Miri, and Sarawak contributes to MMEA fleet with condition that the Sarawak-funded vessels are to be permanently there.
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I fixed the error, thanks
ASM - “”some of the duties will overlap with MMEA and might create conflict on who does what”
Not necessarily so.
Before the SCG is up and running there would have been a clear delineation as to what the MMEA abs SCG (even with just a handful of boats) will do to ensure there is no role duplication; as well a mechanism for both to lease and coordinate.
As Marhalim said : “I am guessing the SCG will concentrate on waters around 12 nautical miles (territorial waters) and up to 24 nautical miles (contiguous zone)”
The plus point is that the SCG can do certain things to free up whether MMEA assets are there: enabling those assets to concentrate elsewhere.
ASM - “IMO it would be preferable it a MMEA regional command be setup somewhere near the coast like Bintulu or Miri””
The MMEA already has a administrative/operational presence in various parts of the state. I knew an ex RMN guy who was in charge of one of the MMEA bases there (I forgot where). It all boils down to funding and the availability of assets - without which it’s pointless to set up another regional command.
Of course we can also point out that if there was funding for the MMEA to have more assets in the area; there would be no need for a SCG.
We already have MMEA overlap with Marine Police. This just adds another overlap on top of the current overlap. WTH!
RM90mil isn't much to go with as seed money for 3 boats plus staffing. And what about facilities? A shed by the seaside? Why can't they integrate with MMEA but sponsored by Sarawak state government with the purpose for Sarawak usage. I hope we get more details on this proposal.
@Azlan
As you said,it would be pointless to have a command without assets, which I agree and therefore my suggestion of having Sarawak fund some of the assets purchase (boats primarily) and have them operate primarily in Sarawak coastal areas.
Apparently this idea isn't a new one. It was reported around November last year (2019) that Sarawak was training personnel for its own Coast guard and also to complement the MMEA. This is from The Star
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/11/22/sarawak-to-buy-boats-for-state039s-coast-guard-in-2020
Interestingly, it was PM 7 who suggested the idea.
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I think PM7 was being sarcastic about it when asked about what they going to do with China's incursions into Sarawak waters. Note in the latest story, the CM said they found a loophole under the state Fisheries law.
A great decision. But to be more effective the state coast guard must work closely to coordinate their patrolling with the MMEA, Marine Polis n the RMN. In other words have a means to co ordinate so that the maximum benefit can be obtained.
The creation of the state coast guard can really relief the heavy stress put on the other 3 services. They can also be called upon to help relief the other services when foreign intrusion happens.
Questions-
Is this the first time in Malaysian history that a state will have its own law enforcement agency? Aside from those inspecting hotel occupants of course.
Heard a story that years ago, the police or another agency bought patrol boats that rusted for years by the pier because no personnel were ever provided to man them. Was this true?
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Perhaps. There was a news story that came out fairly recently that a number of boats assigned to PGA units in Sabah were not used as they had no authorised personnel to man them. I am guessing the boats were sent there shortly after the Lahad Datu incident and during that time Marine police personnel were TDY to man the boats for patrol duties. But as the situation calm down and the police felt it was impractical to patrol in open boats in the seas, those who were manning the boats were sent back to their original units the boat were left to rust at their jetties. It must be noted the PGA units found the way to overcome the lack of boats by using likely hiring, fishermen boats for their patrols. One added benefit of using fishermen boats they blend in with the regular marine traffic, which was impossible if they used their regular open top boats
Lee - “The creation of the state coast guard can really relief the heavy stress put on the other 3 services””
Assuming that adequate funds are allocated for the SCG to perform its intended roles. On paper the unit can complement the MMEA but in reality this remains to be seen.
What the SCG has going it is unlike the MMEA it it only required to operate within state waters and only in a few areas which see a regular foreign presence. Of course apart from routine patrolling and law enforcement at sea the SCG can also perform SAR. Naturally a lot depends on it having the right assets for its operational environment - too small a boat will limit its use to calm sea conditions and too large a boat will be superfluous.
Lee - “In other words have a means to co ordinate so that the maximum benefit can be obtained””
We can safely assume that thought and planning has been given towards joint coordination with the MMEA. We can also assume that initial assistance will come from the MMEA and that both will share facilities.