KOTA TINGGI, Oct 26 — Ninety-two suspected Indonesian illegal immigrants were detained by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) as they attempted to leave the country in a speedboat in the waters off Tanjung Lompat in Desaru here last night.
Tanjung Sedili MMEA maritime zone director Captain Mohd Zulfadli Nayan said the suspects — 49 men and 36 women aged from two to 63 years old — were detained at 8pm.
"However, the speedboat’s skipper escaped by jumping into the sea before the MMEA patrol boats managed to intercept the boat,” Zulfadli said in a statement today.
Mohd Zulfadli said the suspects will be investigated under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) Act 2010 as well as the Immigration Act 1959/63 for entering or exiting the country via non-gazetted areas.
“We will continue to monitor and conduct operations to curb such cross-border crime in Malaysia’s maritime zones,” he said.
Zulfadli also advised Indonesians immigrants wishing to return home or enter Malaysia to only use legal or gazetted routes for their own safety.
“The smuggling of migrants using ungazetted sea routes for exiting and entry is the most unsafe method,” he said.
