KOTA KINABALU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has described fish bombing in Sabah – which is suspected of killing three divers, including two foreign tourists, near Semporna on Friday – as a challenge to enforcement authorities.
Nevertheless, the agency vows to work with the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) to mobilise assets and personnel for smoother operations and surveillance in cracking down on the illegal activity.
“The MMEA has been conducting special operations to curb (fish bombing) since May.
"(The operations were) conducted at hotspots such as the waters of Kota Belud, Mantanani and Gaya island, following complaints and intelligence," Sabah MMEA director Rear Admiral Kamaruszaman Abu Hassan said in a media statement here, today.
He added that the agency has also held joint meetings with the Fisheries, Marine and Immigration departments to discuss further enforcement against fish bombing.
Kamaruszaman also advised tour companies and operators to observe safety procedures during diving excursions to prevent similar incidents in the future.
"Markings should be placed where diving is taking place.
"They should also take into account whether a dive site is safe and free from fish bombing threats," he added.