In Miri, Vietnamese captain, crew get fines totalling RM3 mln for encroachment

MIRI (Aug 10): The Miri Sessions Court on Friday fined 21 Vietnamese fishermen a total of RM3 million for illegally trespassing into Malaysian waters.

Judge Azreena Aziz meted the sentence after two charges were read to all of the accused, aged between 22 and 55, found guilty under Section 16 (3) of the Fisheries Act 1985 (Act 317).

In the first charge, the judge imposed a fine of RM500,000 or six months’ imprisonment on the boat captain and a fine of RM100,000 or four months’ imprisonment on 18 crew members of a foreign vessel detained by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).

For the second charge, the captain of another fishing vessel detained by MMEA was fined RM500,000 or six months’ imprisonment and one crew member was fined RM200,000 or four months’ imprisonment.

According to the facts of the case, the accused were caught encroaching on Malaysian waters at a distance of 70 nautical miles northwest of Tanjung Lobang here at 2pm and 5.40pm on June 30.

Malaysian Maritime deputy public prosecutor Yong Ann Nee prosecuted while all the accused were represented by lawyers from Ranbir S Sangha & Co Advocates and Solicitors.