National Hydrographic Centre seeks legal status to safeguard Malaysia's maritime interests

PORT KLANG: Malaysia needs a dedicated national hydrography act to give its hydrographic authority statutory backing and replace a 54-year-old administrative memorandum that can be amended or rescinded by the cabinet.

National Hydrographic Centre (NHC) director-general Rear Admiral Dr Najhan Md Said said despite operating for more than half a century and representing Malaysia in the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) since 1975, the centre is still relying on a cabinet memorandum produced in 1972.

He said an act of Parliament was needed to establish the NHC as the sole national authority responsible for official nautical charting, bathymetric data governance and maritime safety declarations.

"Without a statutory foundation, the NHC faces administrative hurdles that hamper its agility, as even routine operational and inter-agency approvals require lengthy administrative processes.

"Enacting the National Hydrography Act will give the NHC institutional permanence, streamline decision making and provide long-term funding stability," he told the New Sunday Times.

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Najhan said the proposed law would give the national hydrographic authority formal legal recognition and strengthen its ability to maintain continuous maritime domain awareness, safeguard navigation and protect Malaysia's maritime interests.

"For more than 50 years, the NHC has operated under a 1972 cabinet memorandum rather than a formal Act of Parliament. Administrative memorandums remain legally fragile because any sitting cabinet can amend or rescind them."

He said national reviews, including the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Batu Puteh, had recommended a national hydrography act to replace the existing administrative framework and give the NHC explicit statutory authority to fulfil its national responsibilities.

"Under the proposed legislation which has received support from the Defence Ministry and its policy division, the NHC is envisioned as a standalone department directly under the ministry, similar to the Veterans Affairs Department and the Science and Technology Research Institute for Defence.

"It would report directly to the defence minister, while operational personnel would continue to be drawn from the Royal Malaysian Navy."