KOTA KINABALU: Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) will be launching a special operation dubbed "Ops Mengalum 1/2018 series" in conjunction with Chinese New Year celebration that will cover waters from here up to Kota Belud.
Kota Kinabalu MMEA director First Admiral Adam Aziz said the operation will conduct thorough checks to all tourist boats at the said waters.
Adam added the operation will also arrest boats that violating regulations.
"The operation will also focus on embarking or disembarking of passengers at non designated jetties as there are still boat operators who take lightly of the rules.
"Besides that, it will focus on tackling illegal immigrants especially in the state capital," he said in a statement, adding the operation will involve seven officers, 38 personnel and four maritime assets.
The ops is also to prevent incidents like last year capsized Catamaran tragedy from happening again.
On Jan 28, 2017, 31 people including 28 tourists from China on board of Catamaran capsized while enroute to Mengalum island.
Twenty two including a skipper and a crew were rescued, four died and five are still missing.