GEORGE TOWN: An internal investigation is being conducted into the standard operating procedures behind the use of firearms in the Tanjung Rhu incident, said Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
The Home Minister said the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) is conducting an internal probe into the shooting incident that happened in January.
He said the police are separately carrying out an investigation to see if there were any violations in the execution of duties during the incident.
“The investigation is being conducted in two phases, first, an internal investigation by the MMEA, and second is by the police who are conducting a thorough investigation to determine if there were any violations in the execution of duties,” he said after the MMEA’s 20th anniversary celebrations held at the Karpal Singh Drive on Saturday (Feb 15).
Saifuddin said MMEA officers often face life-threatening situations when carrying out their duties.
"In this instance, during this shooting case, they had to assess the situation in the middle of the sea when it was dark, at 3am.
"We can only understand the situation fully if we put ourselves in their position,” he said.
Saifuddin said the actions taken were in accordance with the situation they faced but it must still adhere to SOPs, including the use of firearms and other protocols.
"The foreign individuals involved in the incident were linked to migrant smuggling activities.
"Police investigation is ongoing and they have arrested an individual who acted as a 'transporter' a few days after the incident,” he said.
“The police will investigate it under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (Atipsom).
“I will provide further updates to the media from time to time," he said.
It was reported that five Indonesian men, including one who was killed, were shot in the waters of Tanjung Rhu, Banting, Selangor, after allegedly ramming into a patrol boat and attacking MMEA officers in January.
Indonesia has urged Malaysia to take action against MMEA officers if it is proven they used excessive force in the shooting incident in Tanjung Rhu, Banting.
According to Antara News, Indonesia's Deputy Minister of Migrant Worker Protection Christina Aryani said the Malaysian government was asked to investigate the shooting incident involving enforcement officers and five Indonesian nationals.
Selangor police later confirmed that provocations were made by the group of undocumented Indonesian immigrants, leading to the death of one and injuries to four others after being shot by Malaysian enforcement officers.
Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan reported that the investigation found indications that the boat carrying MMEA members was rammed, and the investigation of the immigrants' boat found two machetes, with statements from 14 MMEA members already recorded.
