BINTULU: Two local fishing vessels were detained for employing foreign workers without permission.
The Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency (Maritime) detained the fishing vessels at two different locations.
On November 22, the first vessel was detained at 12.30pm about eight nautical miles off Kuala Balingian, while on November 24, the second vessel was detained around 6pm about seven nautical miles from Sungai Likau.
“The vessels were detained in the Bintulu Maritime Zone as our assets conducted routine patrol there and were detected for being suspicious,” Bintulu Maritime Zone director Captain (Maritime) Mohd Khairol Anuar Saad said in a press statement, yesterday.
“Further inspections on both fishing boats, found each having four crew members including the captain who are all Indonesians aged between 24 and 68.
“All of them have valid identification documents which are passport but do not have permit to work on the vessels from the Malaysia Fishery Department and the Malaysia Immigration Department as required,” he said.
Upon checking their documents, Khairol said a few of them had entered the country since July this year using visiting pass but did not exit the country until the day of their arrest.
“We have seized two vessels, fishing equipment trawl and drift net, along with 80kgs of fishes that are believed to be freshly caught by the first vessel and 1,000 kgs of catches on the second vessel.
“All the crew and their vessels were detained and escorted to the Vessel Detention Centre Bintulu Maritime Zone to be handed over to investigating officers for further investigation,” he added.
The vessels are being investigated under Section 8(b) of the Fishery Act 1985 for employing foreigners without permission and can be fined by the Malaysia Fishery Department.
All of the crew are being investigated under Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for overstaying in Malaysia for more than 30 days. They can also be punished under Section 15(4) of the act.
