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KUALA LUMPUR – The RM1.3 billion allocated to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in the Budget 2023 that was tabled today is in line with the agency’s Malaysian Maritime 2040 strategic plan, said its director-general (Maritime) Datuk Mohd Zubil Mat Som.
He said the allocation was the biggest ever and a 30% increase compared to the RM727 million received last year.
“From the amount, a total of RM485 million will be used for the maintenance of 70 vessels and 193 boats, some of which are still under maintenance.
“The amount allocated shows the government’s sensitivity in ensuring the well-being of the country’s maritime enforcement,” he said in a statement last night.
Zubil said the allocation would be used to enhance the MMEA in various aspects like management expenditure including human resources, office maintenance, jetty and lock-ups, maritime aerial stations, aircraft maintenance, zone and state operations centres, Marine Surveillance System radar control centres and others.
He hopes the allocation would complete the needs of the agency in phases and said he is confident that the budget was tailored based on the well-being of the people since Malaysia’s economy is still in the recovery stage after the pandemic that hit the country last year.
Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz when tabling Budget 2023 yesterday said the Home and Defence Ministries each received an allocation amounting to RM18.3 billion to continue efforts to strengthen public order and national security. – Bernama, October 8, 2022