JOHOR BARU, Oct 7 — Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar expressed his dismay and called for strict enforcement after he personally witnessed an incident yesterday where a skipper was operating a boat dangerously while under the influence of drugs.
Following the incident that happened in the waters near the Pulau Rawa jetty in Mersing, Sultan Ibrahim said he then instructed all enforcement agencies to increase their patrols and take stern action against such behaviour.
“Take stern action, including revoking the boat operator’s license and confiscating boats that do not follow the law.
“Things like this are very embarrassing for the Johor tourism industry. I hope this kind of situation does not happen again,” said Sultan Ibrahim on a post on his official Facebook page tonight.
The 63-year-old state monarch said the situation was disgraceful as it happened right in front of him.
“I saw them (boat skipper and crew) operating the passenger boat at high speed and manoeuvring in a dangerous manner near the Pulau Rawa jetty.
“I instructed the police to detain the boat which was carrying a family with young children for their ‘island hopping’ activities,” said Sultan Ibrahim.
Sultan Ibrahim said after the police arrested them, it was clear that the boat skipper’s act in operating the boat in an erratic manner was due to the influence of drugs.
On Wednesday, two men who were the skipper and crew of a passenger boat were arrested by police after they tested positive for methamphetamine while carrying passengers.
Mersing police chief Superintendent Cyril Edrward Nuing said the arrest was made at 10am after police detained a tourist boat in the waters of Mersing near Pulau Rawa.
