GEORGE TOWN, June 3 – The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (Maritim Malaysia) of Penang State has successfully detained a foreign fishing boat from Indonesia for suspected illegal fishing activities within Malaysian waters. The arrest took place approximately 48.0 nautical miles southwest of Pulau Kendi at 12.00 noon on May 31. Maritime Captain Abd Razak bin Mohamed, the Penang State Maritime Director, revealed that the boat was apprehended due to strong suspicions of fishing in prohibited Malaysian waters.
Upon initial inspection, it was discovered that the fishing boat did not possess a registration number and was manned by a crew of six individuals, including an Indonesian skipper aged between 18 and 51. Further investigation into the crew’s documents revealed that none of them possessed valid identification documents or travel passes to enter Malaysian waters. As a result, all crew members were promptly arrested on suspicion of violating the Fisheries Act 1985 and section 6(1)(C) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, which pertains to entering Malaysia without a valid passport.
In addition to the crew’s arrest, the fishing boat itself, along with 50 liters of diesel fuel, was seized by the authorities. The vessel and its occupants were escorted to the Batu Maung Shipyard jetty in Penang for further investigation. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency encourages the public to report any criminal activities or emergency incidents at sea promptly. Citizens can provide information by contacting MERS 999 or reaching out to the Penang State Maritime Operations Center at 04-2626146, ensuring swift and immediate response to maritime concerns.
