The police mounted their seafaring vessels to track down a man who allegedly insulted Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim on Facebook.

Johor police chief Wan Ahmad Najmuddin Mohd said the 46-year-old suspect, known by his Facebook handle ‘Minah Pendek’ was detained on a fishing boat off the coast of Pulau Tioman.

"Johor police will go all out to find and hunt down (social media abusers), no matter where they are, until they are prosecuted," he added in a statement today.

The arrest came despite a plea from Tunku Ismail yesterday for the police not to arrest his critics.

The crown prince had said the authorities should instead arrange a meeting between him and those taking jabs at him.

Mindah Pendek is the third individual to be arrested for criticising Tunku Ismail on social media.

The first was a Pahang football fan known as "Keluang Man" while the second was an assistant chef.

All three are being probed under Section 233 of the Communication and Multimedia Act 1998, which carries a maximum fine of up to RM50,000 or not more than a year's jail or both.