（Lecture by Japan Coast Guard）

（Technology Transfer）

（Training on Board）

The Government of Japan assisted Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency(MMEA) to organize the “3rd Maritime Law Enforcement Seminar” at the MMEA Training Centre, Kuantan, Pahang from Jan 12th to 22nd, 2009.

The Government of Japan has been supporting MMEA from the stage of its establishment. It has been cooperating to reinforce operation system and enhance implementing ability of MMEA. Currently the Government of Japan dispatches an officer of Japan Coast Guard as a long term expert to MMEA and implements technology transfer to MMEA officials on maritime law enforcement, under the framework of “JICA Maritime Guard and Rescue Project”. Within this project, “Maritime Enforcement Seminars” have been held in 2007 and 2008.

This time, for the 3rd Seminar, twenty eight MMEA middle-echelon officers, who were chosen among participants in the 1st and 2nd seminars, learned advanced skills on on-board inspections, criminal investigations at initial stages, arresting techniques, etc. from three trainers dispatched from Japan Coast Guard. The Seminar included not only classroom lectures but also physical exercises utilizing MMEA patrol vessels on the sea.

In order to support activities by the Government of Malaysia for maritime security of the Malacca Straits, the Government of Japan has decided to provide grant aids to MMEA for equipments for sea surveillance (approx. 473million yen (RM 16 million)), to Royal Malaysian Customs for equipments for prevention of sea smuggling and other illegal activities including 10 units of speed boat and 14 units of hand held thermal imager (approx. 714 million yen (RM 25 million)) and to Marine Police Force of the Royal Malaysian Police for equipments for maritime security enhancement including 4 units of rigid hull inflatable boat and 40 sets of night vision goggles (approx. 278 million yen (RM 10 million)).

Meanwhile, Japan Coast Guard has dispatched patrol vessels to the South-East Sea twenty one times since November 2000 and operated combined drills with Marine Police Force in 2000 and 2007.

In addition the Nippon Foundation donated a training vessel to MMEA in 2006 and has already announced that it will cover one third of the operation costs of the ‘Aids to Navigation Fund’ for five years. Early in 2009 it is planning to contribute US$2.5m.

（Training on Board）