Some have drilled holes into concrete structures to install rod holders
GEORGE TOWN: Despite repeated warnings and enforcement measures, anglers continue to venture onto the piers beneath Penang’s cross-channel bridges to fish.
Some have even drilled holes into the concrete to install rod holders, while others have pitched tents to fish overnight beneath the bridges.
State Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director Kapten Muhammad Suffi Mohd Ramli said three men and a woman were detained between July and August for trespassing beneath the Penang Bridge.
He said the four suspects, aged between 29 and 54, were detained in two raids following repeated warnings and awareness campaigns against entering the restricted areas.
“All four were questioned and released on police bail in September, pending further instructions from the deputy public prosecutor,” he said at the MMEA’s “Hari Bersama media” yesterday.
It was reported earlier that both the Penang Bridge and the second Penang Bridge (Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Bridge) had been classified as critical national infrastructure and gazetted as restricted areas under the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act 1959.
The restrictions cover areas beneath both bridges, including buffer zones extending 250m on either side.
Muhammad Suffi said several joint operations involving MMEA and other relevant agencies had uncovered activities that could damage the bridge structures.
He said some anglers tied their boats to bridge piers and left fishing equipment permanently attached to the structures.
“Some anglers drilled holes into the bridge structures to install fishing equipment, while others had set up temporary shelters.
“Drilling or modifying bridge structures is strictly prohibited, as it could compromise their structural integrity and damage Telekom Malaysia’s communication cables and Tenaga Nasional Bhd’s high-voltage electricity cables.
“The bridge operator had to carry out minor repairs over concerns that such activities could cause cracks and damage,” he said.
Muhammad Suffi said the authorities were finalising standard operating procedures that could allow fishing activities under controlled conditions.
“Any decision would require the agreement of the relevant authorities,” he said.
Proposed conditions, he said, could include fishing during daylight hours only, a minimum age of 18, compulsory life jackets and designated fishing hours.
He said fishing boat operators had appealed for the restrictions to be relaxed, as the ban had affected their livelihoods and others in the industry such as bait suppliers, food sellers and boat transport operators.
However, Muhammad Suffi acknowledged that anglers had also assisted maritime authorities during emergencies.
