In a
bid to cultivate stronger safety awareness at sea, Bousted Heavy Industries
Corporation Berhad (BHIC) at LIMA 2013 today announced the company would
contribute lifejackets towards a maritime community service campaign
by the Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).
A total of of 250 life jackets will be provided by BHIC as part of its
corporate social responsibility agenda to support MMEA’s safety
awareness campaign which kicks off in April this year and is targeted
at fishermen, ferry and boat users as well as others in the maritime
community. |
At the
handover ceremony, Managing Director of BHIC YBhg Tan Sri Dato’
Seri Ahmad Ramli Hj Mohd Nor presented a lifejacket to the Director
General of MMEA YBhg Admiral Maritime Datuk Mohd Amdan bin Kurish, as
a symbolic gesture.
YBhg. Tan Sri Ahmad Ramli said “BHIC is committed to doing our
part to support MMEA initiatives involving the maritime community. Simple
measures like using a lifejacket or equipping a boat with a lifebuoy
can be difference between a life saved or not. We cannot emphasise enough
the importance of taking safety precautions and changing attitudes which
is what the MMEA campaign can contribute towards”.
On hand to witness the ceremony were TAB Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Deputy
Prime Minister of Malaysia and YBhg. Datuk Hj Ahmad bin Hj. MASLAN,
Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia in the Prime Minister’s Department.
They were joined by YBhg. Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Lodin Wok Kamaruddin,
Deputy Chairman of Boustead Holdings Berhad. Also present were the BHIC
management team and senior MMEA officials.
YBhg Datuk Mohd Amdan said “As a maritime agency coordinating
search and rescue (SAR) operations in national maritime waters since
6 June 2006, MMEA takes safety measures of those at sea very seriously.
Based on emergency statistics at sea for 2006 to February 2013, there
were 392 cases involving drowning victims on the beach and at sea, which
was the highest number of emergencies. On the other hand, there were
368 cases that involved ships and boats,”
Statistic trends also showed most such cases happen during bad and unpredictable
weather with strong winds and stormy seas. In addition, the lack of
user awareness on precautionary measures while at sea also contributed
to these incidents.”
MMEA’s latest safety campaign will complement its ongoing Program
Jiwa Murni, an initiative that aims to enhance the livelihood and living
standards of the fishermen community in the country.
Around 83 activities have been carried out through MMEA’s Program
Jiwa Murni since its introduction in 2007 with about 29,000 fishermen
in Peninsular and East Malaysia having benefitted.
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