KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency's (MMEA) state-of-the-art vessel to nab seafaring criminals and intruders has proven its worth just months after it was commissioned.
Barely six months into its operation, the MMEA's latest and greatest asset, which is patrolling waters off Sarawak, had mostly curbed illegal fishing.
Named after the Melaka heroine, KM Tun Fatimah and her crew had foiled many attempts by foreign vessels to illegally fish in the South China Sea off Sarawak, and had seized close to RM4 million in assets.
The vessel, which can operate at sea for 21 days without the need to return to port, will help safeguard the country's waters and oil platforms from encroachment and cross-border criminal syndicates.
Construction of the Dutch-based defence firm's Damen 1800-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV) began in 2017 by THHE-Destini Sdn Bhd.
KM Tun Fatimah is the first of three OPVs ordered by the MMEA, with the other two under construction.
Measuring 83m-long and 13.7m-wide, it is crewed by 46 people.
MMEA acting director-general Maritime Admiral Datuk Saiful Lizan said KM Tun Fatimah would be crucial in bolstering the agency's capabilities.
"Its specifications and operational versatility align with the MMEA's mission to ensure the safety and security of maritime activities.
"It reflects our commitment to maintaining a strong and responsive maritime presence.
"KM Tun Fatimah is designed to support various missions, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, logistic support, mothership operations, training for cadets, and response to oil pollution."
MMEA's remaining two OPVs — OPV 2 and OPV 3 — are at around 50 and 75 per cent completion, respectively. They are expected to be ready in two years.
Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow Dr Azmi Hassan said the deployment of the OPV highlighted the country's seriousness in protecting its waters.
He said KM Tun Fatimah represented an upgrade of Malay-sia's maritime capabilities.
"With the maritime disputes (in the South China Sea), KM Tun Fatimah's size and the capabilities are critical.
"We want to show our strength and that we are serious in protecting not just our waters but our exclusive economic zone."
National Defence University of Malaysia defence and security expert Professor Dr Mohd Mizan Mohammad Aslam said the delivery of KM Tun Fatimah came at a time when the country was facing intrusions into its waters.
He said there was a need for more advanced vessels like KM Tun Fatimah to safeguard Malaysia's waters.