NO LET UP IN MARITIME MONITORING DURING FESTIVE SEASON

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 10 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) will maintain the level of patrolling of the country's waters during the coming festive season, especiallly to curb smuggling.

MMEA director-general, Maritime Admiral Mohd Amdan Kurish, said smuggling activites are expected to increase beginning this week till Hari Raya (Eid to mark the end of Ramadan).

"We know that during festivals illegal activities increase as they
(offenders) know many personnel go on leave. But we will take pro-active steps,"
he told reporters here Tuesday after distributing festive goodies contributed by
the Association for Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers (Bakti) and
Puspanita MMEA to representatives of 1,275 MMEA personnel who will be on duty
for the first and second days of Hari Raya (Eid).

Mohd Amdan said besides processed chicken and cigarettes the agency will
also pay serious attention to smuggling of fireworks.

"We also will look out for people trying to enter or leave the country
illegally," he said.

On piracy, Mohd Amdan said there had been no cases so far this year and
whereas before the country's waters were categorised as a 'war-zone area', with
the 'eyes in the sky' programme and more frequent sea patrols the country's
waters registered a drastic drop in piracy.

This, he said, was acknowledged by the International Maritime Bureau.
-- BERNAMA