PUTRAJAYA: Director-general of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Admiral Datuk Zulkifili Abu Bakar has thanked the government for the RM900 million allocation to the agency, as announced in the 2018 Budget today.
Zulkifli said the allocation will be used for the agency’s development and management expenditure for next year.
“I am grateful to the government for this allocation. (Of the) total, RM490 million will be used to fund boat and ship maintenance, (and for) patrol ships currently being constructed.
“In this budget, the MMEA, as one of the security forces together with the armed forces and police, has greater and important responsibilities in safeguarding the security, sovereignty and well-being of the people and the country.
“As the national maritime enforcement agency, the MMEA is always committed and responsible in ensuring that the country’s waters are safe and under control,” Zulkifli said in a statement.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today announced that the government has allocated RM14 billion for the armed forces – including almost RM9 billion to the police and RM900 million to the MMEA – in its 2018 Budget.