JOHOR BARU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained a local boat skipper southwest of Tanjung Piai waters yesterday on suspicion of attempting to smuggle four Indonesian men out of Malaysia.
Johor Maritime director Maritime First Admiral Nurul Hizam Zakaria said the 48-year-old man was arrested along with the four foreigners aged 25 to 38 at 8 pm.
He said the skipper was spotted by a maritime patrol boat while transporting the four foreigners using a fibreglass boat.
"The maritime patrol boat detected the suspicious, unnumbered fibreglass boat before it sped off towards Indonesian waters upon seeing the authorities' presence.
"Acting swiftly, they intercepted the fibreglass boat and subsequently conducted further inspections," he said in a statement today.
Nurul Hizam said preliminary investigations found that all the Indonesian nationals were trying to leave Malaysian waters to go to Tanjung Balai, Indonesia.
He said all five and the boat were taken to the Sungai Pulai Maritime jetty.
The suspects were then brought to the Johor Maritime headquarters for further investigation.
He said the skipper is being investigated under Section 26B of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (ATIPSOM) 2007, and the foreigners under Section 5(2) of the Immigration Act 1959.– BERNAMA