GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and several enforcement agencies have increased security through Ops Khas Bersepadu to prevent trespassing in Protected Areas and Protected Places (KLTL) beneath the Penang Bridge and the Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah Bridge.
Penang MMEA said that the operation on Saturday (July 25) was carried out in collaboration with the Penang Chief Government Security Office of Malaysia (CGSO), the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM), Jambatan Kedua Sdn Bhd and Projek Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan Bhd (PLUS).
Penang MMEA deputy director of operations, Maritime Commander Mohd Hashim Mat Zain, led the operation, which involved 35 officers and personnel using two MMEA assets.
According to the statement on Sunday (July 26), the operation aimed to prevent trespassing and ensure legal compliance because both bridges are gazetted as KLTL under the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act 1959 and classified as National Key Targets.
Patrols and checks found no trespassers beneath both bridges, which were once popular fishing spots. Authorities said this shows high compliance among the maritime community, said the statement.
MMEA reminded fishermen and boat owners that the prohibition covers the entire area beneath both bridges, including a 250m buffer zone on each side, to protect public safety and strategic infrastructure such as high-voltage electrical and communication cables.
The statement added that MMEA and other agencies are also preparing standard operating procedures to regulate activities near both bridges.
They reiterated that individuals violating the prohibition face action under Section 7 of Act 298, which carries a maximum jail sentence of two years, a fine of up to RM1,000, or both. Offenders may also be investigated under Section 447 of the Penal Code for criminal trespass. – Bernama
