KUALA LUMPUR: Six Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) officers on duty during the recent Tanjung Rhu shooting involving Indonesian nationals are on leave while police investigate the incident, says the Home Minister.
Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said police are investigating the incident under Section 39 of the Arms Act 1960.
Investigation papers have also been opened on the Indonesian nationals involved under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder, Section 36 of the Arms Act for possession of and importation of imitation arms, Section 186 of the Penal Code for obstructing public servants in their duties, and Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) Act 2007 for people smuggling, he added.
“We suspect that the boat was involved in trafficking people but we are not (ruling out) that they were also involved in smuggling of firearms and drugs based on previous patterns of cases,” he told reporters at the Parliament building here on Monday (Feb 3).
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“A comprehensive investigation is being done, which includes looking into the use of firearms by the MMEA officers during the incident.
“Following a meeting with (Inspector-General of Police) Tan Sri Razarudin Husain and (Selangor police chief) Datuk Hussein Omar Khan, it was agreed that the (MMEA personnel) will be put on leave pending investigation,” he added.
Saifuddin said MMEA is also conducting an internal probe.
He said police have identified one of the men injured in the incident as a transporter who provided services bringing undocumented migrants in and out of the country.
Saifuddin also said the Indonesian Embassy here had contacted his ministry to get access to their nationals who were hospitalised after the incident.
“We have allowed the embassy officials to visit them. This is normal procedure since it involves the citizens of their country,” he said.
Earlier, it was reported that three foreign men, believed to have been shot, sought treatment at Hospital Sultan Idris Shah, Serdang.
The three men were sent to the hospital at about 7.30am on Jan 25.
Earlier that day, an MMEA patrol was allegedly attacked in waters off Tanjung Rhu, Banting and returned fire.
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It was reported that one suspect was killed and four others injured.
Comm Hussein later told the media that the suspects were believed to be involved in migrant smuggling activities and were trying to leave the country illegally.
On Friday (Jan 31), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia had promised a transparent investigation of the incident and would liaise with the Indonesian authorities through the embassy.
