GEORGE TOWN: Eight crew members of a dredger vessel were detained by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) on Monday (April 28) for illegally anchoring approximately 0.6 nautical miles south-east of Pulau Kendi.
Penang MMEA director Captain Razali Kassin said the vessel was spotted anchored in the area around 4.30pm by a patrol team.
"The ship was manned by eight foreign crew from Indonesia and China, but all of the suspects have valid documents," he said in a statement on Tuesday (April 29).
Capt Razali said further checks found that the vessel did not have anchoring permission from the Marine Department director as stipulated under the law.
He said two crew members aged 35 and 59 were brought to the state MMEA office for further investigation under Section 491B(1), Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952 for anchoring without permission from the Marine Department director.
He stressed that MMEA will not compromise with any party that violates the country's maritime laws and will continue to conduct surveillance, particularly against suspicious activities in the state's waters.
The maritime community is also urged to always comply with regulations to ensure the safety and sustainability of the nation’s waters.
