Piracy a growing menace along Sabah's east coast

Deputy Federal Minister Liew Vui Keong has been tasked by Sabah fishermen to bring up the growing incidence of piracy in local waters with the relevant authorities in Putrajaya.

This follows a meeting yesterday with Sandakan Fishing Association (SFA) chair Phua Peh Chee. SFA was leading other associations during the dialogue.

Of particular concern to the fishing community are the waters between Sandakan and Pulau Banggi, the latter being the most poverty-stricken spot in Malaysia.

"SFA and others saw me to highlight several robbery and kidnapping cases which happened to their members in the last few months," said Liew ( left ) who is also Sandakan MP and (Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president.

"Apparently, they were intercepted between Sandakan and Banggi by sea robbers or pirates from the Philippines."

Liew disclosed that the fishermen either claimed to have paid ransoms before they were released or complained that their boats were confiscated and taken to the Philippines.

They lamented that their livelihood has been affected and many dare not venture too far out to sea as the pirates seem to lurk everywhere. They have reported all incidents to the local authorities."

The Sabah Fishing Ship Owners and Fishery Association complained that 17 of their ships or boats were seized by pirates during the last three months. Association president, Arsani Arsat, revealed that the affected fishermen paid RM400,000 so far to get some of their vessels back.

Arsani, who is also Tawau Fishery Association (TFA) chair, is upset that the relevant authorities in Sandakan have not acted against the sea pirates and robbers despite numerous complaints.

The TFA learnt from their sources, to their dismay, that it was difficult for maritime enforcement agencies to fully curb sea robberies, especially along the east coast.

This is attributed to Sabah's long coastline that makes it difficult to prevent sea robberies and piracy from recurring.

He sees the need for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), marine police, the Immigration Department and the navy to step up their presence in local waters.

Region 2 Naval Commander First Admiral Anuwi Hassan, however, denies that there are any pirates along the eastern seaboard of Sabah.

"There is no piracy in our waters unlike in Peninsular Malaysia. There are only incidents of sea robberies," said Anuwi. "Piracy and sea robberies have two different meanings. People are being quoted wrongly."

Matter of semantics?

Anuwi, however, did not differentiate between the two terms and whether they were a matter of semantics. The fishermen had complained that not only were they robbed at sea but their boats and fishing vessels were taken away, sometimes in return for ransom money.

The Navy Chief denied that his command had been sitting on the matter and hastened to add that they are taking steps.

"I also have my own plans to meet fishermen in Sandakan to iron out the problems they face and to inform them of our strategies to enhance enforcement," disclosed Anuwi.

He added the matter has also been brought to the attention of the State Security Committee (SSC), headed by the chief minister.

The Navy briefed the SCC that there was a need to raise security awareness among coastal fishermen especially on how they should report to the authorities in the event of a maritime crime.

The Navy's beef during the recent SCC meet, added Anuwi, was the lack of communication among the various enforcement agencies when it comes to the matter of security in local waters.

"I brought up this issue, that we should enhance our sharing of information among the maritime agencies in Sabah," he said. "We realise that we are lacking in communication with one another. So, we will sit down and discuss and improve. There are a few weaknesses."

The navy in Sabah, stressed Anuwi, is also short of assets and has put in a request for 13 ships under the 10th Malaysia Plan.

The 13 ships consist of three multi-role support ships, six new generation patrol ships and four training ships.

The complaints by the east coast fishermen against local authorities comes in the wake of persistent media reports that two men kidnapped off the waters of Semporna will be released soon. The men were taken from seaweed platforms, about five months ago, allegedly by armed men from the Philippines in return for ransom.

No incidents of sea robbery or piracy have been reported so far along the west coast which is relatively distant from the Philippines and Indonesia.

However, there was an incident recently of four ‘local fishermen' turning to armed robbery on the high seas. In the incident, a boat from Labuan to Kota Kinabalu was robbed near Pulau Tiga.

West Coast police say the men, who have since been apprehended, were from Kudat and targeted boats after 7pm. They could not confirm whether the four suspects were genuine fishermen or robbers.