Mr Teo Eng Dih, Chief Executive, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) witnessed a ceremony today to officially mark the handover of management of the Revolving Fund Committee from Malaysia to Singapore.
Established in 1981 to combat oil pollution in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore
The Revolving Fund Committee (RFC) was established on 11 February 1981 through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Malacca Strait Council (MSC) to combat oil pollution in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS), and ensure that one of the world’s busiest waterways remain safe and clean. The MSC contributed 400 million yen as the principal sum of the Revolving Fund.
Serving as an effective mechanism for international co-operation in the maintenance of the Straits, Malaysia, Indonesia, or Singapore can draw cash advance from the Fund for use in combating oil pollution caused by ships. The amount drawn will be repaid to the Fund when the State recovers the clean-up costs from the parties responsible.
Singapore to manage the Revolving Fund from April 2022 to March 2027
Under the MOU, each littoral State of the SOMS – Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore – will manage the Fund on a rotational basis for a period of five years each. Singapore has taken over the chairmanship of the RFC from April 2022 and will manage the Revolving Fund until March 2027.
The RFC will be chaired by Captain M Segar, Assistant Chief Executive (Operations), MPA, and supported by Ms Cindy Sim, Director (Finance, Procurement & Admin), MPA, as the RFC Authority.
In his opening address, Mr Teo Eng Dih highlighted that the SOMS are among the busiest and most critical waterways in the world, with some 120,000 vessels using the Straits each year. It is therefore in the vital interest of the littoral States and the international community that the Straits are kept safe and clean. He said "As world trade continues to expand and shipping traffic increases, the responsibility of maintaining safety and preserving the marine environment in the Straits will grow in tandem. The Revolving Fund is a good example of cooperation between the littoral States and the users of the Straits to safeguard the marine environment."
The official handover letter was signed by Captain M Segar and Mr Wan Abdul Latiff bin Wan Jaffar, (Director General of Department of Environment, Malaysia). Witnessing the signing were the Mr Teo Eng Dih, Captain Mugen Suprihatin Sartoto (Director of Sea and Coast Guard) and Mr Kenji Nagamatsu (Executive Director, Malacca Strait Council of Japan).
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