MMEA sinks warships to make artificial reefs
KOTA KINABALU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) is not only tasked with maintaining law and order, but it also helps with protecting marine biodiversity.
Over the years, MMEA had decommissioned three of its vessels and sunk them off Sabah and Labuan waters to serve as artificial reefs.
On May 9, 2013, the Labuan Marine Department put two MMEA’s vessels — KM LayangLayang and KM Mantanani —to rest on the seabed off Kuraman Island near Labuan.
This was followed by the decommissioning of 52-year-old KM Kuraman, which was sunk at Tunku Abdul Rahman Park here on Sept 17, 2016.
In supporting the move, Sabah MMEA and Labuan Regional director First Admiral Datuk Mohd Zubil Mat Som said sinking warships to make artificial reefs should continue to be implemented if it benefited the environment.
“At the same time, it helps boost marine biodiversity. This will boost tourism and promote recreational diving activities. I think it is one of the ways to respect the historical value of the agency’s assets.”
He said MMEA, through its asset development plan, planned to terminate the services of its obsolete assets to enable the acquisition of new ones. The plan will empower MMEA operations, as well as maintain an optimum level of operating assets.”
On KM Kuraman, Zubil said the patrol vessel, which belonged to the navy, was the first maritime enforcement shipwreck to be turned into a scuba diving attraction at Tunku Abdul Rahman Park.
Built by Vosper Ltd in Portsmouth, England in 1964, KM Kuraman was initially commissioned as KD Rencong when it served in the navy.
It was equipped with two 40/70mm Bofors guns and a detector radar.
Although the 31.4m-long and 7m-wide ship was not equipped with torpedoes, guided missiles and defensive launchers, the vessel used its speed to defend itself from enemies.
It was deployed to Sandakan during its service in the navy.
In 2005, Zubil said, KD Rencong was handed to MMEA and was renamed KM Kuraman.
It was used for enforcement and rescue operations in waters off Kota Kinabalu to Kudat.
“The vessel was involved in Op Daulat to curb the aggression of a Filipino armed group under the leadership of self-proclaimed Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III in 2013.
“Monitoring (of KM Kuraman wreck) must be conducted to ensure its structure remains intact and nothing is stolen by stakeholders.
“There is a need to promote the shipwreck and its history as it can generate income for the tourism sector in the state.”
On KM Kuraman’s last operation before it was decommissioned, Zubil said the vessel was involved in the East Pluto Operation to assist the Eastern Sabah Security Command in enforcement within the Eastern Sabah Safety Zone.