LONDON: Malaysia is confident of being elected again as a council member of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Category C, for the seventh year.
Datuk Abdullah Yusof Basiron, Under-Secretary of the Maritime Division, Transport Ministry said as a member of the council, Malaysia can play a more active role in IMO, especially in decision-making and to ensure Malaysia’s interests in the maritime world.
Malaysia has been successful in bidding for the past six terms.
The election for council seats among the 26 member states for the 2018-2019 term will be held at the IMO General Election in November.
“We are strategically situated with the Straits of Malacca and Singapore; we have to ensure that any functions and decisions made must take into consideration our interests and our security,” said Abdullah after a luncheon reception to announce Malaysia Candidature for re-election, held at the Riverbank Park Plaza Hotel here on Monday.
Abdullah said as council member, Malaysia has carried out a number of programmes including fostering co-operations and working relationships with other member countries, helping to increase their capabilities by offering training programmes to officers from developing countries, and in the ratification international conventions which have been adopted here by the IMO.
The announcement of the re-election was made by Malaysian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, Datuk Ahmad Rasidi Hazizi at a reception attended by representatives of the IMO as well as IMO Secretary General Kitack Lim.
Rasidi said, the continued presence of Malaysia in the council will “further the policies and values which emanate from IMO’s work.”
During the luncheon reception, Rasidi handed over mock cheques to the World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmo, Sweden and the International Martime Law Institute (IMLI) in Malta, in support of the work they are doing.
Receiving a donation of US$20,000 for the upgrade of student facilities in the campus was President of WMU, Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry.
Last year, Malaysia contributed US$32,600 to the University.
The WMU has been instrumental in nurturing present and future leaders of IMO, including the present IMO Secretary-General and Malaysia’s Under-Secretary of the Maritime Division of the Transport Ministry.
The High Commissioner also handed a mock cheque for the amount of Euro 50,000 to IMLI Director Prof David Attard, to facilitate and upgrade IMLI’s lecture halls.
There was also a symbolic handover of a lifeboat and its davit in the form of a photo to Ambassador and Permanent representative of Vanuatu to the IMO, Laurent Parente for a project at the Vanuatu Maritime College.
The lifeboat and its’ davit were donated by E.A. Technique Sdn Bhd at a cost of US$15,000 and US$160,000, respectively.
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