A SARAWAK minister has slammed inter-agency rivalry for keeping the state’s small newly formed 70-member coast guard unit confined to its bases in the ongoing search and rescue (SAR) mission for six men reported lost at sea.

State Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Abdul Karim Hamzah questioned why the Sarawak coast guard unit, which started operations in April, needed permission from Putrajaya before it could carry out its duty to patrol the state’s coastline or join in the SAR operations.

Karim was querying why the Sarawak coast guard was not called in in the first place to assist in the SAR operation for six sports fishermen and crew of their rented boat reported missing in two separate incidents of sinking over the weekend.

In the first incident on Saturday, nine crewmen and sports fishermen were rescued after their boat sank in heavy weather near the popular fishing grounds off Satang Island in the southern part of the state.

One crewman is still missing.

Meanwhile, all five crewmen and fishermen in another rented fishing boat have yet to be accounted for in the second mishap on Sunday in the sea grass and artificial reef area off Santubong.

The Sarawak coast guard unit was only called in on the fourth day of the SAR mission after Karim demanded action.

“I am thankful that today the Sarawak coast guard is now involved in the SAR mission even though it’s already the fourth day,” he told reporters at the coastal village of Telaga Air.

The one crewman who is still missing in the Saturday mishap, Awang Omar Awang Hamsawi, 59, is his cousin.

Karim did not name the agency involved in the inter-agency rivalry but it was believed he was referring to the Malaysian Maritime Agency.

He said the jurisdiction of the different agencies needed to be ironed out by the state and federal governments.

Karim said the Sarawak coast guard was formed under state laws, among them the State Fisheries Ordinance 2003, to protect its fisheries.

“The Sarawak coast guard was not formed for combat duties,” he said, alluding to the fears Putrajaya have of possible confrontation due to the presence of Chinese coast guard ships in Malaysian territorial waters off the state.

“We’re not formed for combat. Not to fight with the Chinese coast guard ships.”

Karim said Sarawak is very well aware that matters relating to national security is under the purview of the federal government.

He said Sarawak was only exercising its special rights which the state was accorded in the formation of Malaysia.

He said this is a mere SAR operation which the Sarawak coast guard could assist.

“In a SAR mission, when many assets are needed, whichever agencies that could help should be roped in. This includes the local community to tap their knowledge of the area.”

The main scope of the Sarawak coast guard’s duty is to look after coastal areas under the state’s jurisdiction, particularly the gazetted marine parks.

The parks are the Similajau National Park, Tanjung Datu, Talang Satang, Miri Sibuti Coral Reef, Santubong, Limbang Mangrove, Bruit and Luconia Shoal covering more than 1.2 million hectares. – October 6, 2021.