Kota Kinabalu: A total of 363 participants from 38 government agencies and industry players took part in the Search and Rescue Exercise (Sarex) Ex Limbawan 2026 to test operational readiness for search and rescue (Carilamat) operations in handling large-scale maritime emergencies.
Sabah and Labuan Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Director First Admiral Maritime Mohd Khairulanuar Abd Majid @ Razali said the three-day Tier 3 exercise aimed to test the effectiveness of inter-agency coordination during maritime emergencies.
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“A real-time sea incident simulation was executed using 23 maritime and land assets to test personnel readiness, asset effectiveness and compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs),” he said after the Sarex Maritime Mass Rescue Operation (MMRO) Ex Limbawan 2026 closing ceremony here Thursday.
Mohd Khairulanuar said the integrated exercise provides an ideal platform to evaluate existing SOPs and ensure every agency can coordinate swift and effective action during a real emergency.
“It also allows all agencies to identify any shortcomings or gaps in operations before an actual incident occurs. Improvements derived from this exercise will enhance future readiness and operational efficiency.
“Every agency has its own SOPs and expertise, which is why integrated training is vital to ensure all parties can operate seamlessly during rescue missions,” he said.
The exercise commenced with a Table Top Exercise (TTX) before proceeding to a Field Training Exercise (FTX) to test the emergency response capabilities of all agencies involved.
It was conducted simultaneously across three locations: Le Meridien Hotel Kota Kinabalu as the Coordination Centre, the Sepanggar Maritime Jetty as the Carilamat Forward Operating Base, and Kota Kinabalu waters as the operational simulation site.
The Sabah MMEA acted as the lead agency for maritime Carilamat operations throughout the exercise.
A series of coordination meetings were also held prior to the exercise to ensure each agency understood its role and could optimise available assets during operations.
“Although Sarex Ex Limbawan 2026 achieved its set objectives, all evaluation findings and participant feedback will serve as a foundation to improve SOPs, coordination and training execution in the future,” said Mohd Khairulanuar.
He hoped that such high-impact training could be sustained as a platform to strengthen inter-agency cooperation, thereby enhancing the efficiency of maritime Carilamat operations to save more lives.
The programme was organised by the Sabah MMEA in collaboration with Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) and PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP).
Also present were PTTEP Malaysia Head of Malaysia Brownfield Assets, Al Ashraf Zarif Al Bakri and Petronas Malaysia Petroleum Management (MPM) Senior Manager of Emergency and Crisis Management Mohamad Azam Abdullah.
