The 50-foot fishing boat berthed along the Miri river just across the Miri Golf Club belongs to Sabahan fishermen and not illegal Suluk fishermen as reported by The Borneo Post yesterday.

Refuting the report, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Miri through a letter said the boat is definitely not a Suluk ‘mother boat’.

The boat was adrift for five days at sea before entering the Miri river, MMEA Miri said when refuting claims that they had not been taking action.

Considering that a police report was lodged by a representative of the skipper of the boat on

Feb 17, there was no reason for MMEA to take any action on the boat crew, MMEA Miri pointed out.

In a news article published yesterday, Piasau Utara fisherman Kalana Seli was quoted as saying that he believed the boat was a Suluk ‘mother boat’ used to ferry fishermen to sea and back, as well as transfer their catch to smaller boats.

“It is very interesting as to why the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and relevant parties are not aware of the boat and how they sneaked into Sarawak waters,” Kalana was reported to have said.

He said he believed that it was a Sulok fishing boat because of its distinctive shape with a higher bow for navigating through larger waves.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by Borneo Post

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