MERSING: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) yesterday arrested a Laotian fishing boat skipper after he was found to have committed several offences including entering Malaysian waters without valid documents.
The 46-year-old man was arrested after a patrol team from the MMEA intercepted his boat in the waters off Pulau Mertang here.
Mersing Maritime Zone Director Commander Suhaizan Saadin said checks by the agency showed the skipper violated conditions of his license as the fuel storage of his boat had been illegally modified.
"The skipper was also unable to produce valid documents to be in the country (waters)," he said, adding the case is being investigated under Section 8(b) of the Fisheries Act 1985 for violating licensing conditions as stipulated in the license book.
The boat skipper, said Suhaizan, is also being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63.
"The boat skipper was arrested. We also seized the boat to facilitate investigation into the case," he said.
Suhaizan also urged the maritime community to adhere to the law and comply with the stipulated fishing license conditions.
He advised the public to report maritime crime or emergencies at sea, to the Johor State Maritime operations centre at 07-219 9404 or MERS 999.