NST Online: StreetsJohor

35 illegal immigrants held after chase at sea

Posted: 27 Jun 2011 11:06 AM PDT

The fibreglass boat with the illegal immigrants now under police custody. — Picture courtesy of the Marine Operations Force

A 20-MINUTE chase involving two vessels at sea ended in a minor collision and the arrest of 35 illegal immigrants off the coast of Pasir Gogok, near Pengerang,
early on June 23.

A Marine Operations Force (MOF) patrol boat was chasing a fibreglass boat making its way out of Malaysian waters with 29 Indonesian men, six Indonesian women and two skippers on board.

Region 2 MOF commander Assistant Commissioner Zainul Abidin Hasan said the patrol boat was conducting Operasi Octopus at 3.30am when it spotted the boat moving in a suspicious manner about two nautical miles off Pasir Gogok.

The stretch off Pasir Gogok is a strait separating Pengerang, Johor, from Pulau Tekong, Singapore. The fibreglass boat sped off as the MOF patrol team approached.

"The patrol team directed the boat to stop, but it did not do so," said Zainul Abidin in a statement.

A brief chase ensued as the patrol boat tried to corner the speeding vessel.

The chief patroller on the MOF boat also ordered for 10 shots of very light pistol to be released into the air to light up the area.

At one point, the two boats were side by side and grazed each other.

Zainul Abidin said the impact of the minor collision caused one of the Indonesian male immigrants to sustain a minor hand injury. He was later brought to a clinic for treatment.

"After a 20-minute chase, the boat was successfully apprehended," he said.

The chase ended when a slight collision took place. In a desperate attempt to make a getaway, the two skippers jumped into the sea, abandoning their craft and passengers.

Zainul Abidin said another MOF patrol boat was deployed to search for the two missing skippers, but to no avail.

The MOF detained all 35 Indonesians and seized the 30mby- 5m fibreglass boat and two Yamaha 200 HP engines.

The illegal immigrants have been detained at the Kota Tinggi police headquarters.

The case is being investigated under Section 5(2) of the Immigration Act 1959 (amended 2002) for leaving or entering the country via an unregistered point, and Section 6(1) of the same act for not having any valid travel documents.

— By Ahmad Fairuz Othman

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Close shave for passengers during bus mishap

Posted: 27 Jun 2011 11:04 AM PDT

Close shave for passengers during bus mishap

MOTORISTS in Johor Baru were stuck in traffic congestion that lasted more than
two hours on June 23 after a stage bus landed on its side and blocked the path
along Jalan Skudai, near Danga Bay.

It was a close shave for the six passengers on board who escaped with only minor injuries from the 6.30am incident.

The bus driver, however, suffered injury on his legs and was sent for treatment at Sultanah Aminah Hospital.

It is believed that the bus driver lost control of the vehicle before it skidded and ended up on its right side.

Johor Baru South police chief, Assistant Commissioner Zainuddin Yaacob said it was raining when the bus was making its way from the city centre to Skudai and was on the Skudai-bound lane of the dual carriageway.

A police MPV arrived at the scene and took 15 minutes to get the driver and passengers out.

Despite police efforts to handle the traffic, a two-hour traffic snarl extended a few kilometres along both lanes of Jalan Skudai. —By Ahmad Fairuz Othman

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Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Selasa, 28 Jun 2011