MMEA reports 720,000 inspections and detains over 4,400 people since 2023

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency disclosed that it has conducted approximately 720,000 inspections and 161 searches since 2023, leading to the detention of 4,401 people for crimes including illegal fishing, smuggling and illegal immigration. Principal assistant director Commander Mohd Khairul Azhar Isahak noted that illegal fishing remains a persistent threat, involving both unlicensed local and foreign vessels.

He stressed that the agency's success depends heavily on information from the maritime community, urging fishermen to report suspicious activity rather than intervene directly. To expand operational reach, MMEA plans to acquire two Multi-Purpose Mission Ships from Turkiye, deploy an AW189 helicopter nationwide, and finalize UAV procurement. Additional coastal radar systems are slated for strategic locations such as Sarawak and the east coast of the peninsula to improve early detection of suspect vessels.