August 11, 2026 | 03:17 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) held a joint exercise with the Malaysian and Singaporean coast guards to bolster maritime security and safety coordination across their trilateral border zone in the Riau Islands.
The joint drills brought together Bakamla, the Singapore Police Coast Guard (SPCG), and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).
Bakamla Chief Vice Admiral Irvansyah noted in Batam on Tuesday, August 11, that the exercise formed part of a trilateral initiative dubbed INSIMA, short for Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia.
"This shows our close relationship, our friendship, and our cooperation with Malaysia and Singapore in maintaining maritime safety and security," Irvansyah said at the Bakamla Batam Base on Tuesday.
He said the exercise spans three days, from August 10 to 12, 2026, across waters surrounding the Riau Islands. A total of 60 personnel from all three nations are participating in the drills.
The activities form part of a broader series of High-Level Meetings on Tripartite Coast Guard Cooperation, bringing together coast guard leadership from the three neighboring states.
The program opened with a welcoming ceremony for SPCG vessel White Tip Shark (hull number PH58) and MMEA vessel KM Sibuan 2224. Both incoming patrol craft were met by Bakamla personnel aboard CAT 508 and HSC 32-02.
In addition to the high-level discussions, personnel and vessels from the three agencies conducted joint maneuvers and observed Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) drills organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Securing Strategic Waterways
Irvansyah expressed hope that the joint operations would serve as a model for regional maritime security cooperation. "Our hope for the future is to jointly ensure maritime security in the shared waters among these three countries: the Malacca Strait, the Singapore Strait, and the Natuna Sea. Hopefully, this will foster unity and smoother coordination," he said.
He added that such trilateral collaboration is critical given that the three neighbors share heavily traveled maritime corridors exposed to diverse security risks.
MMEA Director General Admiral (M) Datuk Haji Mohd. Rosli bin Abdullah said the exercise offered valuable ground for each agency to exchange information, operational experience, and best practices.
"By sustaining joint exercises like this, we can implement best practices in safeguarding maritime security and strengthening cross-border networks," he said.
Meanwhile, Singapore Police Coast Guard Commander SAC Ang Eng Seng noted that the collaboration between Bakamla, MMEA, and SPCG underscores the close ties uniting Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
"We hope this collaboration can contribute to creating safer regional waters for the public," he said.
Read: Malaysia's Ahmad Zahid Hamidi Calls for Prayers for Anwar Ibrahim's Recovery
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