PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) will fully cooperate with the restructuring of the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) to further enhance security in the region.

Its Director General Admiral Datuk Amdan Kurish said the agency will maintain the number of assets currently deployed in the region with five ships and 10 boats patrolling its waters.

Amdan said the agency was also looking forward to working with Datuk Abd Rashid Harun, the new Esscom commander effective July 15.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced a revamp of Esscom which entailed the setting up of two major components - security and defence management and enforcement, plus public action.

Rashid, who is presently Esscom Security and Public Order director, will be overseeing all security, operation and defence matters in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone).

"We will observe the new procedures introduced in the restructuring,

"Essentially, the MMEA supports any adjustment being made, so it is up to the new commander to decide how our assets will be used," Amdan said.

Amdan said this during a press conference after presenting Hari Raya parcels for 2,000 MMEA officers who were on duty throughout the festive season at its headquarters, here.

The parcels, containing food and other festive items, were part of contributions made by the Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers Association (Bakti), Wives of Civil Servants and Women Civil Servants Association (Puspanita), and Umno Welfare Bureau, among others.

Also present was MMEA deputy director-general (operations) Vice-Admiral Datuk Ahmad Puzi Ab Kahar.

On another matter, Ahmad Puzi confirmed that the 700,000 litres of diesel that was reported stolen from MT AI MARU oil tanker on June 14 was not from Malaysia.

Based on investigations, Ahmad Puzi said the documents obtained from the Singaporean company that runs the super tanker showed that the diesel fuel, worth RM2.1 million was sourced from a foreign

country.

He said the fourteen crew members, including an Indonesian captain, who were held to assist with investigations in Pengerang, Johor, were released along with the ship last week.

However, he said a probe was still underway as there were still criminal elements in the case.

Resource : NST