KUCHING: The Home Ministry would extend its ‘Ops Naga’ in the waters of Sarawak should there be any intrusion by foreign fishing vessels.
Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the operation would normally involve agencies under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (APMM), Department of Fisheries, and police marine force.
“The ‘Ops Naga’ team has been effective in the waters of Peninsular Malaysia,” he told reporters after visiting Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg at his office in Wisma Bapa Malaysia yesterday.
“The operations in Semenanjung were mainly against Vietnamese fishermen. We are monitoring the situation here, and if they are found in Sarawak waters, the operations would be expanded here,” he said.
When asked if the federal government would consider imitating Indonesia’s policy of destroying seized fishing vessels, Muhyiddin said he would leave the matter to the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry and the Fisheries Department to decide.
He said that sort of action needs the approval of the attorney general and other parties before it can be implemented.
“What we are doing is we confiscate the vessels and keep them. But the problem now is we don’t have enough places to keep them,” he said.
In the meantime, his ministry has not yet planned to increase the number of its helicopters and ships.
“We cannot afford them. From time to time they are needed for our operations. If there is extra money, we will consider buying new helicopters and ships for our long-term plan,” he said.
Meanwhile, the ministry uses whatever is already available.
