Sarawak police intensify crackdown on fuel smuggling following reports of shortages in Pontianak

KUCHING (March 25): Police are intensifying efforts to curb fuel smuggling out of Sarawak following reports of a supply shortage in Pontianak, Indonesia.

Sarawak Deputy Commissioner of Police Datuk Saifullizan Ishak said the focus is now on identifying and dismantling illegal jetties believed to be used as exit points for smuggled fuel.

“As you are aware, our priority at the moment is to prevent smuggling.

“We have received instructions to identify illegal bases across Sarawak, particularly along rivers and coastal areas,” he told reporters after officiating the Kuching district police headquarters-level 219th Police Day celebration here.

He said that while there have been cases of misuse within the state, the greater concern is fuel being smuggled out of the country, with the profits benefiting foreign parties.

To address the issue, Saifullizan said police are mapping suspected illegal jetties along Sarawak’s extensive river systems and coastline in preparation for enforcement action.

“This is not an operation carried out by the police alone. We will work together with other agencies to take action,” he said.

He added that no arrests have been made so far as the operation is still in the detection and intelligence-gathering phase.

Saifullizan noted that Sarawak’s vast geography, including its extensive river network and long coastline, poses a major challenge in combating such activities.

Nevertheless, he stressed that the police remain committed to intensifying enforcement to curb smuggling activities that undermine the national economy and border security.

He added that the effort will involve multiple agencies, including the General Operations Force (GOF) and the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS), which has been established in Kuching.