Security forces beef up patrols around oil rig

KOTA KINABALU: Security forces have stepped up surveillance around an oil and gas platform following suspected pirate movements in high seas about 120km north-west of Labuan.

Though there were no piracy or other incidents, the Malaysian coast guard and navy have stepped up aerial and sea patrols in the area after the crew of MV Armada Tuah raised the alert that they were being tailed by four speed boats with a mother boat seen in the background at 11am on Thursday.