MIRI: Two local barges operating off the coast of Miri were detained during a pre-dawn enforcement operation over multiple regulatory and immigration violations.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said the vessels were intercepted between 1.15 am and 2.05 am on Saturday at positions 2.45 to 2.8 nautical miles northwest of Tanjung Baram.
Miri Maritime Zone director, Captain Mohd Khairol Anuar Saad, said initial inspections revealed that both barges had failed to produce essential documentation, including the Domestic Shipping Licence (DSL), vessel registration papers, and statutory certificates.
“The absence of these documents constitutes a breach under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952,” he said in a statement.
Further checks uncovered immigration-related offences involving six crew members, who were unable to present valid identification documents as required under the Immigration Act 1959/1963.
The vessels were manned by a mixed-nationality crew comprising Malaysians, Indonesians, and Myanmar nationals, aged between 23 and 65.
Authorities have since issued detention orders, and both barges were escorted to the MMEA’s base here for further investigation.
Mohd Khairol said the agency would take a firm stance against any non-compliance, particularly where it involves maritime safety and immigration regulations.
“Enforcement operations will be intensified from time to time to ensure national waters remain secure, controlled, and free from unlawful activities,” he said.
Members of the public with information on suspicious maritime activities or emergencies have been urged to contact the national emergency hotline or the Miri Maritime Zone operations centre.
The case remains under investigation.
