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I. C. Ishak et al.
spill incidents. Once the oil spill incidents occurred, the DOE has reported having
collaboration with several organizations such as the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency [MEA], Port Operators, Marine Department, Malaysian Royal Navy,
Royal Malaysian Police, port authorities, fisheries department and the jetty operators.
Generally, these agencies are related to oil spill incidents and response because they
operate along the waterfront in the marine environment. In the cases of any oil spill
incidents for Malaysia, the DOE is elected as the Chairman to the National Oil Spill
Contingency Plan [NOSCP] and States Operation Committee [SOC]. Meanwhile,
the Marine Department is responsible for serving as a technical expert in controlling and combating the oil spill incidents at sea by using the equipment or stockpiles
available in the country. DOE requires the Environmental Quality of Act [EQA] 1974
and Economic Exclusive Zone Act [EEZ] 1984, which includes multi environmentrelated fields from 0 to 12 nautical miles at sea and the EEZ Act 1984 from 12 to 200
nautical miles to effectively enforce laws on oil spill throughout Malaysian waters
[12].
7.4 Challenges of Oil Spill Incidents
However, the core problems that challenged the DOE in the oil spill issue are the
absence of manpower or staff to cover its enforcement, including the frequently
changing appointments of a new office which has required an officer to expand
the scope of work by increasing the productivity and deterring himself, involves in
any illegal tasks [12]. As the MMEA establishment is to hold out all federal deeds
in the water, therefore the DOE faces a logistic problem as the organization does
not have any assets at sea and must collaborate with the MMEA for assistance in
resolving the issue associated with the oil spill incidents. On top of that, based on
the reports on oil spill incidents at sea, most of the cases are from unknown sources
and caused by illegal activities of ships along the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.
Also, the inadequate stockpile of oil spill equipment significantly contributes to a
major problem faced by the DOE in the process of cleaning-up activities [13].
Besides, there is one major key industrial player response team from a private
organization which is known as the Petroleum Industry of Malaysia Mutual Aid
Group [PIMMAG]. The organization was formed in December 1993 and up to 1st
of September 2018, it has 28 registered members from oil and gas companies in
Malaysia. Unfortunately, the PIMMAG will respond to only registered members in
the stipulated time frame between 24 h to act at tier 1 of the oil spill incidents after
been appointed by the ship-owner, agent, or terminal [12, 21–23]. This research examines the problem of disparity in the collaboration between the DOE and the Marine
Department toward the oil spill response. Ideally, once the oil spill has occurred,
the response members from numerous disciplines are interdependent and working
together. The ad hoc team is made accountable for the emergency response to solve
the oil spill incidents immediately [21–23].
I. C. Ishak et al.
spill incidents. Once the oil spill incidents occurred, the DOE has reported having
collaboration with several organizations such as the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency [MEA], Port Operators, Marine Department, Malaysian Royal Navy,
Royal Malaysian Police, port authorities, fisheries department and the jetty operators.
Generally, these agencies are related to oil spill incidents and response because they
operate along the waterfront in the marine environment. In the cases of any oil spill
incidents for Malaysia, the DOE is elected as the Chairman to the National Oil Spill
Contingency Plan [NOSCP] and States Operation Committee [SOC]. Meanwhile,
the Marine Department is responsible for serving as a technical expert in controlling and combating the oil spill incidents at sea by using the equipment or stockpiles
available in the country. DOE requires the Environmental Quality of Act [EQA] 1974
and Economic Exclusive Zone Act [EEZ] 1984, which includes multi environmentrelated fields from 0 to 12 nautical miles at sea and the EEZ Act 1984 from 12 to 200
nautical miles to effectively enforce laws on oil spill throughout Malaysian waters
[12].
7.4 Challenges of Oil Spill Incidents
However, the core problems that challenged the DOE in the oil spill issue are the
absence of manpower or staff to cover its enforcement, including the frequently
changing appointments of a new office which has required an officer to expand
the scope of work by increasing the productivity and deterring himself, involves in
any illegal tasks [12]. As the MMEA establishment is to hold out all federal deeds
in the water, therefore the DOE faces a logistic problem as the organization does
not have any assets at sea and must collaborate with the MMEA for assistance in
resolving the issue associated with the oil spill incidents. On top of that, based on
the reports on oil spill incidents at sea, most of the cases are from unknown sources
and caused by illegal activities of ships along the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.
Also, the inadequate stockpile of oil spill equipment significantly contributes to a
major problem faced by the DOE in the process of cleaning-up activities [13].
Besides, there is one major key industrial player response team from a private
organization which is known as the Petroleum Industry of Malaysia Mutual Aid
Group [PIMMAG]. The organization was formed in December 1993 and up to 1st
of September 2018, it has 28 registered members from oil and gas companies in
Malaysia. Unfortunately, the PIMMAG will respond to only registered members in
the stipulated time frame between 24 h to act at tier 1 of the oil spill incidents after
been appointed by the ship-owner, agent, or terminal [12, 21–23]. This research examines the problem of disparity in the collaboration between the DOE and the Marine
Department toward the oil spill response. Ideally, once the oil spill has occurred,
the response members from numerous disciplines are interdependent and working
together. The ad hoc team is made accountable for the emergency response to solve
the oil spill incidents immediately [21–23].