MIRI: Fishermen here are happy with the success of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency to curb encroachment in local waters.Miri Fishermen Association chairman Ahmad Lamat said yesterday fishermen here are very satisfied with the surveillance and monitoring conducted by the agency to ensure safety and security at sea.
“They have been doing a very good job especially in dealing with encroachment of foreign fishermen into Malaysian waters and we will continue to extend our cooperation and support to the agency,” he said yesterday.
This was important, Ahmad said, as foreign fishermen were at times a threat to locals because they were equipped with firearms.
He said the agency also helped to ensure resources from the sea were not exploited by foreign fishermen, who even took some endangered and protected species.
“Our members will immediately report or direct any information to the agency if they know or intercept activities of foreign fishermen in the sea, especially around Miri, for immediate action,” he added.
The agency also monitored any illegal activities by both local and foreign vessels such as smuggling.
“Both local fishermen and the agency will be working together to enhance the safety and security in our waters,” he added.
Oil platform workers were also thankful for the presence of the agency.
“We feel safe and secure with their 24-hour presence. We are working in a dangerous and high risk area.
“The threat can come in many forms and at any time,” said an offshore worker who declined to be named.
He said the agency’s presence also deterred fishermen from carrying out fishing activities around the platform.
Meanwhile Miri Maritime enforcement chief maritime Captain Ismaili Bujang Pit said the agency will continue and increase their monitoring and surveillance work to increase safety and security in their areas of operation.
“We need the support and co-operation from the public to provide us with any information on the presence of foreign fishermen and other illegal activities on the high seas,” he said.
The agency’s awareness programmes such as ‘Program Jiwa Murni’, he said, have been fruitful as the information channelled from local fishermen resulted in the arrest of foreign fishermen encroaching into Malaysian waters.
“With the information given to us by local fishermen, we have been able to solve seven cases of encroachment of foreign fishermen within 30 minutes this year,” he added.