Home Ministry studies integrated base in Langkawi, expands UAV and AI use to boost security along Malaysia’s northern waters.
PETALING JAYA: The Home Ministry is studying a proposal to establish an integrated forward operating base at Teluk Ewa, Langkawi, while planning the wider deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and artificial intelligence (AI) to strengthen security along Malaysia’s northern maritime border.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said the proposed base would bring together the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), Marine Police Force and General Operations Force under one operational hub.
“As a long-term measure to strengthen security control in northern Langkawi, the government is also studying a proposal to establish an integrated forward operating base at Teluk Ewa, Langkawi.
“This initiative is expected to improve operational coordination among agencies, shorten response times, and strengthen surveillance and enforcement capabilities in combating cross-border crime,” he told the Dewan Rakyat today.
Shamsul said the ministry also agreed on the need to expand the use of UAVs in national waters, including around Langkawi, with implementation to be carried out in phases.
He said UAVs would complement existing maritime assets by providing real-time aerial surveillance, particularly in vast and high-risk areas where monitoring coverage is limited.
“The ministry is also studying the use of AI-based predictive analytics to analyse movement patterns, geographical factors and weather data, identify high-risk areas, and forecast potential maritime security threats,” he said.
He was responding to Datuk Mohd Suhaimi Abdullah (PN-Langkawi), who sought details on the readiness of security assets and personnel in Langkawi to address migrant smuggling, the smuggling of controlled goods and maritime intrusions near the Malaysia-Thailand border.
Shamsul said the MMEA’s Kedah and Perlis region currently has 294 officers and personnel supported by three vessels and 14 boats.
For the Marine Police Force, he said the Langkawi operations base is staffed by five senior officers and 53 lower-ranking personnel, with two vessels and four boats.
The Kuala Perlis and Kuala Kedah tactical bases, he added, have eight and 17 lower-ranking personnel respectively, with two boats each to support operations in northern waters.
Shamsul said the MMEA also uses the Sistem Pengawasan Laut (SWASLA) to detect suspicious vessels and maritime activities.
He revealed that the MMEA recorded 152 arrests for various offences in Kedah and Perlis throughout 2025, while 49 cases had been recorded up to May this year.
On irregular migrant movements, Shamsul said Malaysia’s priority remains safeguarding national security and territorial waters through bilateral and regional cooperation.
He said the MMEA works closely with Thailand, Indonesia and Australia to monitor foreign fishing activities and attempts to smuggle migrants into the country.
Malaysia and Thailand also continue to cooperate through SEAEX THAMAL, an annual maritime exercise conducted since 1979 under the Combined Maritime Working Group Malaysia-Thailand.
“This means enforcement operations continue to be carried out, and regional cooperation remains ongoing,” he said.
