PORT KLANG – The government has allocated more than RM100 million to upgrade the Malaysian Maritime Sea Surveillance System (Swasla), run by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), to curb the entry of illegal immigrants through the country’s waters as well as the risk of Covid-19 infection they could bring.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said Swasla is a 24-hour radar network system used to monitor and detect all types of suspicious boat or vessel movements in the country’s waters.
“One of the government's main strategies in combating Covid-19 is to ensure that there is no illegal entry of foreigners into the country that could bring the virus to Malaysians.
“This plan started three years ago, and the government has finally agreed to provide allocations for us to improve the existing system and address any weaknesses or damages,” he said in a press conference after a working visit to Swasla’s area control centre here today.
“I hope in one or two months from now, this project can commence,” he said, adding that the tender issued recently related to the project showed that MMEA needed more than the original allocation.
He said MMEA, one of the agencies involved in Op Benteng, had successfully detected 443 suspicious movements through the Swasla radar system since it was implemented from May 2020 to May 2021.
“Out of the 443 movements, a total of 372 contact cases were made through inspection, detention, deportation, warning, and communication. As a result, a total of 40 were arrested and charged, ” he said. – Bernama, June 8, 2021
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