KLANG, April 2 — The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) is expected to receive the remaining two Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) within two years, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
He said that the estimated timeframe takes into account the current progress of the construction of OPV 2, which is now at 75 per cent completion, while OPV 3 is over 50 percent completed.
“Although it deviates from the original delivery schedule, my ministry is committed to completing the project to ensure the readiness of the nation’s maritime security assets is at an optimum level,” he said.
Saifuddin Nasution said this during a press conference after observing the implementation of the Op Khas Pagar Laut operation onboard MMEA vessel Tun Fatimah in the waters of Selangor here yesterday.
Saifuddin Nasution added that MMEA is also set to receive four new helicopters involving an allocation of RM600 million within 18 months from now.
In January, Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Ruji Ubi was reported as saying that the acquisition of the helicopters is expected to be completed within two to three years, with all of them to be stationed at the Maritime Air Operations Centre in Sandakan, Sabah, to strengthen MMEA operations in the waters of the state.
— Bernama
