KUCHING, 14 July 2026 – The Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) held an engagement session with the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Sarawak Region. delegation was led by Kepten Maritim Simon Templer Lo Anak Tusa, Deputy Director of Maritime Operations, Sarawak Region, accompanied by his entourage. The session was chaired by the Assistant Controller (Enforcement and Legal), representing the Controller of SRB and attended by senior officers from the respective divisions.

The engagement session comprehensively discussed matters related to strengthening inter-agency cooperation with relevant agencies, enhancing coordination, and fostering mutual understanding of respective functions, jurisdictions, and responsibilities, particularly in relation to navigational safety, enforcement activities, and the effective management of rivers in Sarawak.

Among the key matters discussed was the ongoing construction of bridge across Sungai Sarawak at Sejingkat, Kuching Division, particularly the temporary headroom restriction during the bridge span stitching phase, which restricts vessels with an air draft exceeding 20 meters, including MMEA Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV 1) KM Tun Fatimah, from transiting the area. The bridge is tentatively scheduled for completion in October 2026 with a vertical clearance of 26 meters above Mean Higher High Water Level (MHHWL) and adequate Aids to Navigation (AtoN) to ensure safe navigation.

SRB highlighted that it continues to enforce the restriction through the issuance of Riverine Notices, provide guidance to the shipping community and river users, and closely monitor and coordinate with the project owner, contractor, MTRA consultant, and relevant agencies to ensure compliance with navigational safety requirements. 

The engagement session signifies SRB’s continued commitment to strengthening strategic partnerships towards achieving safe, clean, and sustainable rivers for Sarawak.