Che Hassan (third left) and Abim help to put a life jacket on a villager while Ting (second left), Drahman (left) and Samad look on.
MIRI: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) says it has received requests from fishermen wanting the agency to investigate criminal cases happening on land.
Its deputy director-general (Maritime Operation) Vice-Admiral Datuk Che Hassan Jusoh, however, said they were not involved in investigating criminal case happening on land but only at sea.
“We will, however, investigate the (land) case if it has any connection with cases that happen at sea,” he said when officiating at ‘Sahabat Maritime’ programme they were having at the Vessel Detention Depot in Kampung Pulau Melayu yesterday.
On the MMEA, Che Hassan said their manpower comprised officers and staff of the navy, marine police, marine department, customs and fisheries departments.
“Our functions are to enhance the security and safety of Malaysia’s maritime zone, prevent and suppress the commission of crimes at sea under the maritime law.
Touching on the programme, formerly known as ‘jiwa murni’ programme he said the objective was to foster closer relationship among the local community and the MMEA staff here. It involved mainly doing activities on ‘gotong-royong’ basis.
He thanked the people at Kampung Pulau Melayu for giving them their full cooperation in making the programme a success.
Later at the same function, he presented 27 life jackets to the local villagers.
Enforcement head of Maritime Miri District First Admiral (Maritime) Abim Sungom, SUPP Piasau branch chairman Datuk Sebastian Ting, Penghulu Samad Alip @ Laip, Kampung Pulau Melayu headman Drahman Sahat were among those present.