Five MPs appointed as MMEA Honorary Lieutenant Commander

Five Members of Parliament (MPs), including two deputy ministers, have been appointed as Honorary Maritime Lieutenant Commander of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Monday.

They are Tawau MP Datuk Mary Yap Kain Ching, who is also Deputy Higher Education Minister; Silam MP Datuk Datu Nasrun Datu Mansur, who is Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodity Minister; Labuan MP Datuk Rozman Izli, Putatan MP Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh; and Batu Sapi MP Datuk Linda Tsen Thau Lin.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim said these MPs were appointed to lead MMEA volunteers in protecting their constituencies, especially its coastal and border areas.

"Today, we appointed five MPs as honorary maritime lieutenant commanders for their respective parliamentary constituencies, and we will appoint 10 others on Thursday.

"They will play a role to lead our volunteers, as well as fishermen in their constituencies, to become the eyes and ears of the government," he told reporters after the conferment ceremony of the ranks at the Parliament here on Monday.

Shahidan said the appointment was hoped to encourage more volunteers to join the MMEA in ensuring national security and combating cross-border crimes and smuggling cases.

"We aim to have 5,000 volunteers by end of this year," he said. -- Bernama