Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) will conduct a four-day joint exercise in the waters off Selangor from today. MMEA acting deputy director-general (Operations) Rear Admiral Mohd Zawawi Abdullah announced that the exercise, involving the Maritime Ship (KM) Banggi and Patrol Vessel (PV) Mizuho, aims to enhance cooperation in addressing regional security challenges.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the series of exercises will include search and rescue operations, arresting technique training, and Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) training, involving officers and personnel from both MMEA and PV Mizuho. Rear Admiral Mohd Zawawi noted that this marks the first visit by PV Mizuho after the COVID-19 pandemic and highlighted the ongoing cooperation between MMEA and JCG since 2006.
He emphasized that the collaboration between PV Mizuho and KM Banggi will focus on law enforcement training, particularly in combating sea robbery, transnational crimes, and other illegal activities within Malaysia’s maritime zone. The announcement was made during a press conference after visiting PV Mizuho at the Port Klang Cruise Terminal, attended by Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia Shikata Noriyuki, JCG Deputy Commandant for Operations Kanosue Hiroaki, and Selangor MMEA Director Maritime Captain Abdul Muhaimin Muhammad Salleh.
Meanwhile, Kanosue Hiroaki expressed that the visit aims to foster mutual understanding and promote knowledge sharing between the two crews, aligning with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s aspirations to bolster cooperation between the maritime agencies. He referred to Prime Minister Ishiba’s visit to Malaysia in January, where the importance of cooperation between the coast guard agencies was highlighted. Hiroaki hopes the exercise will enhance operational skills and deepen the trust and relationship between the two agencies.
PV Mizuho (PLH-41), commissioned in 2019, is a large patrol vessel with a displacement of 6,000 tonnes and a length of 134 meters. It is equipped for search and rescue operations, maritime law enforcement, and command missions.