Mobile Surveillance Unit (MSU) for Malaysian Coast Guard

LANGKAWI – The Malaysian Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) received a Mobile Surveillance Unit (MSU) worth RM4 million in order to improve activity detection in the nation’s seas using the radar system at the recent LIMA ’23 show in Langkawi, Malaysia.

According to Minister of Home Affairs, Saifuddin Nasution, the MSU is a valuable addition to the existing Malaysia Sea Surveillance System (SWASLA), which is run by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA or Maritim Malaysia).

In addition to providing maximum sensor coverage, the MSU can also improve marine coverage and create surface images in close to real-time to ensure more effective patrols, search, and rescue operations.

Saifuddin made this statement after witnessing the handover ceremony of the unit by the Chief Executive Officer of AMP Corporation (M) Sdn Bhd, Mustaffa Hj Abd. Rahman, to the MOHA Secretary-General, Ruji Haji Ubi.

Also present at the session were the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Shamsul Anuar Haji Nasarah, the Deputy Director-General (Logistics) holding the position of Chief of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, Rear Admiral (Maritime) Saiful Lizan Ibrahim, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Technology Depository Agency (TDA), Dr Sharoul Jambari.

According to Saifuddin, the MSU is a system that can spot suspicious activity at “rat routes” that SWASLA could not previously access. Based on user input, it has been modified to be carried by a four-wheel-drive vehicle so that it can be used in a variety of terrains and weather patterns.

Additionally, during search and rescue (SAR) operations, the MSU’s mobile radar system will detect any objects or pictures. MMEA anticipates that this will hasten the identification of casualties at sea and minimise fatalities.

For the record, MSU was developed by the local company with the cooperation of MMEA. The MSU was built within 12 months and with the help of MSU it would lessen MMEA dependency on air and marine assets to combat crimes such as illegal trade, drug smuggling, illegal fishing, and maritime pollution.

As an initial step, this first MSU will be utilised by MMEA before the government considers subsequent units. — mmea/adj/mhi (Pix: MMEA)