KUCHING: The Criminal Investigation Department in Miri has opened an investigation into threats against local fishermen.
According to Bintulu member of parliament Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, the investigation was started by the department’s director.
“In my attempts to help the fishermen, I have specifically contacted the director of the police Criminal Investigation Department. I wish to thank the director for opening an investigation into these threats to our fishermen under Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation,” said Tiong in a statement yesterday.
He said local fishermen cannot guarantee their own safety when they do go out to sea, much less know they can catch enough fish to meet their targets.
“As their sizes are often smaller compared to the foreign vessels, they are in danger of intimidation tactics such as being rammed or met with physical threats.
“Any warning to report their actions to the authorities are merely being laughed at. Moreover, reports by our local fishermen to the marine enforcement authorities are typically ignored,” Tiong claimed.
He said the conflict between local fishermen and Vietnamese fishing vessels over fishing grounds is further piling pressure on the local fishing industry.
The Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president said a fishing boat owner had discussed the problems and demands of the local fishing industry with him.
“My concerns and worries about their wellbeing and livelihood did not improve after our meeting. Liu has built his own fishing boat through loan financing and invested more than RM10 million into the business where he yearned to provide Sarawakians with cheaper seafood.
“Sadly, after more than a year at sea, his dreams were dashed day by day with the heavy presence of foreign fishing vessels dominating Malaysian sovereign waters and taking our marine resources at will and unchecked.
“To make matters worse, these foreigners use two trawlers at the same time, a practice which is not permitted in Malaysia,” Tiong said in a statement yesterday.
According to him, local fishing boats like Liu’s are unable to compete with the size and level of sophistication of foreign vessels.
He alleged that the Vietnamese fishing boats ‘are openly fishing in Malaysian waters’.
“Worse still, it is known that there is a ‘mother ship’ near oil rigs that wait to collect the catches by these smaller vessels. Doesn’t the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) care to investigate this audacious violation of our maritime borders?”
He noted the MMEA had stated that it had dispatched helicopters to patrol areas reported of intrusions but failed to detect any foreign fishing boats.
To this, he claimed that local fishermen had witnessed these helicopters overhead while they were surrounded by Vietnamese vessels at the same time.
“It is extremely incomprehensible why these helicopters crew could not see these vessels; did they need telescopes or are these flybys just a stage show?
“At only 30 nautical miles into the sea, our local fishermen have reported seeing foreign vessels fishing for our marine resources. If the MMEA had seriously pursued its duties, they would see much to take action for,” he said.
He also appealed to the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry to reach out to the people with an explanation of the federal government’s plan to resolve the dire issue.