KUALA LUMPUR: Two of the three Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) are expected to be completed and handed over to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in the middle and at the end of this year.
Deputy Home Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said although this is much later than the originally scheduled handover of Mar and Oct respectively, no additional costs would be imposed on the contract.
"For now, the overall progress of the construction of all three MMEA OPVs is at 74.62 per cent and the construction company is committed to handing over two of the vessels this year, while the final (third) OPV is expected to be handed over next year," he said.
He said this when answering a question by Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kasim (PN-Arau) at a Special Chamber session in the Dewan Rakyat today (Feb 27) regarding the immediate replacement of dilapidated MMEA assets.
On Jan 6, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail asked for the construction of two OPVs to be completed according to their respective stipulated schedules, namely in Mar and Oct.
Although he did not reject the possibility of a delay in completing the first vessel, he, however, stated the government's position that the handover date should not be changed.
The media had previously reported that the government had provided a loan of RM152.6 million to ensure that the MMEA's OPV project, which had now been taken over by the Finance Ministry, would be completed this year.
At the same session, Shamsul Anuar also said that the MMEA had played a crucial role in ensuring the country's waters are always safe and protected from any criminal acts, besides reducing the loss of life and property at sea.
"As the sole enforcement agency at sea and leader in maritime search and rescue operations, the MMEA will always strive to improve the preparedness of its assets to carry out the tasks entrusted to it," he said. -- BERNAMA