MIRI: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) arrested four local crew members and detained a fishing boat without a registration number while en route to Sungai Miri on Tuesday (Oct 13).
Miri Maritime Zone director Capt Md Fauzi Othman said the boat was spotted about 2.4 nautical miles from Miri around 1.10am.
“Inspections were made and we found four local men aged between 29 and 62 aboard.
“The boat did not have a licence from the Marine Department,” he said in a statement.
The individuals were arrested and escorted to the Vessel Detention Centre jetty for further investigation.
Capt Fauzi noted that the case would be investigated under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952 (Akta Ordinan Perkapalan Saudagar 1952) for failing to display the boat licence during inspection.
If convicted, the skipper can be fined not exceeding RM10,000.
MMEA will continue to increase enforcement in the country’s waters despite the current uncertain weather conditions, especially during the transition phase of the Southwest monsoon, which starts from Sept 24 until early November.
The maritime community is also advised to always maintain safety by wearing safety jackets when going out to sea.
Any public complaints, feedback or emergencies at sea, can be directed to the Miri Maritime Zone Operations Centre at 085-418204 or the Sarawak Maritime Operations Centre at 082-432544.
