Proposed law to strengthen National Hydrographic Centre still in the works

KUALA LUMPUR: A proposed hydrography act to give the National Hydrographic Centre (NHC) statutory backing remains under discussion.

Royal Malaysian Navy chief Admiral Tan Sri Zulhelmy Ithnain said the proposal was still in the pipeline, with the process ongoing.

"Hopefully, we can get it as soon as possible. However, the process must be respected," he said at a press conference after the launch of the Seabed 2030 programme.

The New Straits Times previously reported that NHC director-general Rear Admiral Dr Najhan Md Said said a dedicated act was needed to establish the centre as the sole national authority for official nautical charting, bathymetric data governance and maritime safety declarations.

The proposed law would replace a 1972 cabinet memorandum that currently serves as the administrative basis for the NHC, which has represented Malaysia in the International Hydrographic Organisation since 1975.

Najhan said the memorandum could be amended or rescinded by the cabinet, leaving the centre without a statutory foundation to strengthen its institutional standing and operational effectiveness.

He said the proposed legislation would provide formal legal recognition, improve decision-making and support long-term funding stability.

National reviews, including the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Batu Puteh, had also recommended a national hydrography act to replace the existing administrative framework, he said.

Under the proposal, the NHC would become a standalone department under the Defence Ministry, reporting directly to the defence minister, while its operational personnel would continue to be drawn from the Royal Malaysian Navy.