MMEA, UMPSA document Op Naga experience in new book

PEKAN: A newly launched book documenting the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency's (MMEA) experience in Op Naga Barat offers insight into its efforts to combat suspicious maritime activities.

MMEA deputy director-general (Operations) Rear Admiral Mohd Zawawi Abdullah said the book, produced through a collaboration between the agency and Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA), provides operational records collected by the agency since Op Naga was launched in May 2019.

He said the operation initially focused on curbing incursions by foreign fishing vessels following a high number of such cases along the east coast about a decade ago.

"Today, Op Naga covers not only foreign fishing incursions but also all suspicious activities involving vessels at sea. The book does not only provide statistics but also documents MMEA's operations, including operational methods, legal considerations and economic impacts," he said after the book's launch at UMPSA recently.

He said the collaboration with UMPSA enabled academic experts to analyse and transform MMEA's operational data into comprehensive documentation of the agency's experience and methods.

"This is not only for MMEA to revisit what we have done over the past seven years, but also serves as a learning resource for our personnel.

"Through academic writing and analysis, we can evaluate our operations, identify areas for improvement and enhance our effectiveness in protecting the country," he said.

He said maritime threats and the modus operandi of offenders were becoming increasingly sophisticated, making collaboration between enforcement agencies and universities important in strengthening operational capabilities through academic expertise.

He said MMEA had also established academic collaborations with other universities, including Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, in areas such as forensic expertise.

Meanwhile, UMPSA deputy vice-chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni) Professor Dr Mohd Rusllim Mohamed said the book analysed various aspects of MMEA's operations.

"It enables readers to gain insight into specific issues and the challenges faced in maritime enforcement. It provides a deeper understanding of maritime security.

"It is valuable not only to MMEA but also to academics, enforcement agencies and members of the public who wish to understand the agency's role and operations," he said.

He said the collaboration demonstrated the importance of knowledge-sharing between academia and enforcement agencies in analysing operational experiences and developing better approaches for the future.

The book, titled 'Op Naga Barat: Strategic, Economic and Prosecution Analysis from the MMEA Perspective', will be displayed at UMPSA and MMEA's galleries.

Op Naga is a multi-agency task force operation led by MMEA to scour Malaysian waters for illegal foreign vessels.