Chief Minister U Maung Maung Ohn has told Rakhine’s State Hluttaw on August 13 that he will provide increased resource to the state’s coastguard, a State MP told Mizzima.
U Aung Mya Kyaw (Rakhine State Hluttaw, Rakhine National Party, Sittway Township) said that the Chief Minister had promised the purchase of two high speed boats.
“Rakhine is a state where water routes are very important and now is a time when security is most important, so we must improve our coastguard,” said U Aung Mya Kyaw.
Myanmar’s Police Force has had sole responsibility for the operation of coast guard activities since July 2013; when their partnership with the Department of Immigration and Population and the Department of Customs that had previously taken responsibility for the coast guard was dissolved.
In response to the news; Police Officer U Toe Toe told Mizzima that the police force would be relieved to hear the news as many townships within the state have no provision of coast guarding activities.
“There are no coastguard forces in Butheedaung and Maungdaw Township,” he said, adding that as Maungdaw was on the border with Bangladesh, coastguards should be deployed at the local toll gates.
