MMEA detains fishing boat off Pulau Daya for employing illegal crewman

MERSING: A fishing boat has been detained by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) here for illegally employing a Myanmar national without a permit.

MMEA Mersing Zone Maritime Commander Suhaizan Saadin said that the boat was detained at 9pm on Monday (June 5) about 1.3 nautical miles southwest of Pulau Daya during a routine Ops Jaksa and Ops Tiris operation.

"Following checks on the boat, we found that it was being operated by three crewmen where two are locals, including the skipper while one is a Myanmar national.

"The foreigner has no working permit or a written approval from the Fisheries department to work on the ship. He only has a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) refugee card," he said in a statement here.

He said that the trio are between the ages of 25 and 41 years old and were arrested to assist in investigation under the Fisheries Act 1985 and the Immigration Act 1959/63.

"Also seized were some 200kg of sea products that had been handed over to a maritime investigating officer for further actions.

"MMEA will not give any compromise and stern actions will be taken on those failing to adhere to the laws and regulations that have been put in place," he said.