MMEA praised for detaining five Vietnamese fishermen
SANDAKAN: Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Junz Wong commended the action of Kudat Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in detaining five Vietnamese fishermen on suspicion of illegal fishing in Kudat waters.
Junz stressed that these illegal Vietnamese boats must not allowed to operate in Sabah waters.
Junz said this when met by reporters near here while on a campaign trail in support of DAP candidate Vivian Wong in the Sandakan by-election.
Kudat MMEA detained the fishermen and their boat including 800 kilograms of sea cucumbers near Pulau Sibogor Laut, Pulau Banggi, Kudat.
The case is being investigated under the Fisheries Act for illegally fishing in Malaysia waters and Immigration Act 1959/63 for not having any valid identification documents. The minister also re-emphasised on the need for Sabah to get back deep sea licence issuance authority.
With this, he said it would be easier for us to identify the fishing vessels and only genuine vessels to be given operating licences.
Junz also emphasised on the plan to ban all Vietnamese boats in Sabah by 2022 including current licensed ones.
“New strict policy to be implemented to monitor Vietnamese boats.” Junz said.
“This policy will impose requirements such as the minimum landing requirement of 250 metric tons for trawlers and 350 metric tons for fishing boats,” Junz added.
Other than that foreign workers should comply with Sabah Immigration laws.
“Sabah does not allow Vietnamese to be employed as workers,” Junz explained.
“And thus if anyone has knowledge of Vietnamese crew operating on any boats, please report to the authority. We will act to cancel the operator’s licence and compound the boats,” Junz reiterated.