By JAMES LEONG
SANDAKAN: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) here succeeded in thwarting two cross-border smuggling attempts in separate operations northeast of Pulau Berhala on May 13.
MMEA Sandakan director Kepten Maritim Suhairy Hussain on May 14 reported that in the first incident around 11.49 am, KM Pintar detected a suspicious vessel approximately one nautical mile northeast of Pulau Berhala, believed to be coming from Pulau Taganak, Philippines, heading towards Malaysian waters.
Upon inspection, the boat, registered under a cargo license, was found to be carrying 12 males and three females, aged between eight and 70, including the skipper. The majority of the passengers were foreigners and did not possess any valid identification documents.
In a surprising turn of events, one of the passengers attempted to bribe the MMEA personnel with cash, but the offer was firmly rejected and the money seized as evidence.
The boat and all passengers were detained and brought to the MMEA Sandakan jetty at 2.53 pm for further action. The case is being investigated under the Sabah Ports and Harbours Enactment 2002, the Immigration Act 1959/63, and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.
In a separate operation on the same day around 12.00 pm, another unregistered vessel, dubbed a ‘ghost boat,’ was intercepted approximately 4.3 nautical miles from Pulau Berhala.
Suhairy further commented that inspections revealed the boat was operated by a Filipino skipper who possessed a MyKad, along with two foreign crew members and one local resident.
Most alarmingly, further inspections uncovered 12 jerry cans containing petrol, estimated at 300 litres, in addition to another 700 litres stored in the boat’s main tank to power three 250 HP outboard engines. This fuel is believed to be used for round trips between Malaysia and the Philippines.
Among the detected offences were the operation of an unregistered and unlicensed boat (under the Sabah Harbours and Ports Enactment 2002) and carrying petrol without a valid permit (under the Control of Supplies Act 1961).
“This is not just an illegal boat. It is a floating death trap loaded with flammable materials, lacking any safety features. The vessel is believed to be involved in clandestine cross-border activities,” he emphasized.
All suspects and the vessel were brought to the MMEA Sandakan jetty for further action.
Meanwhile, in Tawau, traffic police on Wednesday arrested a 17-year-old motorcyclist in connection with a viral social media video showing a dangerous stunt that led to a crash at Jalan Chong Thein Vun earlier this month.
The incident, captured in a 9-second clip uploaded on May 11, occurred around 11.30 pm on May 10, OCPD ACP Jasmin Hussin said.
Police investigations revealed that a group of motorcyclists was engaged in illegal racing activities on the road. In the footage, a male rider on a motorcycle is seen performing a high-speed wheelie before losing control, crashing, and being flung onto the road. The rider sustained injuries to his legs, ankles, and hands and sought treatment at a nearby private clinic, he added.
Acting on the viral video, traffic police apprehended the teenager about 3.00 pm on May 14 at the Tawau District Police Headquarters. The suspect later led authorities to a residence in Tanjung Batu Laut, where they seized a motorcycle and a helmet allegedly used during the illegal race, Jasmin said.
Further investigations confirmed the teenager had no valid motorcycle license and had borrowed the motorcycle from a friend on the night of the incident, Jasmin said.
Police are probing the case under reckless and dangerous driving, riding a motorcycle without license and insurance coverage, he said.
