KUALA PERLIS: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) foiled an attempt to smuggle eight undocumented migrants into the country after intercepting an unregistered wooden boat off Kuala Perlis on Monday (Sept 7).
Kedah and Perlis MMEA director Commander (M) Nak Rong Si Prom said the vessel was intercepted approximately 0.1 nautical miles west of Kuala Perlis beach while personnel were conducting routine patrols under Ops Aman and Ops Tiris.
"Upon receiving intelligence regarding a suspicious craft heading towards Kuala Perlis from the neighboring border, our patrol team moved to intercept," Nak Rong said Tuesday (Sept 8).
"Spotting the enforcement team, the boat accelerated toward the shore. Two men, believed to be the skipper and a crew member, leaped into the mudflats and escaped into a nearby mangrove forest," he added.
A subsequent inspection revealed eight Myanmar nationals aboard—three adult men, four adult women, and a young boy—all lacking valid travel documents.
The migrants and the boat, with a total seized value estimated at over RM17,000, were brought to the Kuala Perlis Maritime Zone headquarters for further action.
The case is being investigated under Section 6(1)(c) and Section 5(2) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for entering and remaining in Malaysia without a valid permit and utilizing an unauthorized point of entry. MMEA urged the public to report suspicious maritime activities directly to their operations center at 04-9851072.
