On Aug 14 at 6.55am, Singapore coast guard officers on patrol spotted a Malaysian fishing vessel in Singapore waters off Tuas. - PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): Malaysian media reports which claimed that the Singapore Police Coast Guard (PCG) had entered Malaysian waters during an exchange with a Malaysian fisherman last Monday are untrue, said the Singapore Police Force on Sunday.
News articles by Malaysian media outlets Sinar Harian and Berita Harian (Malaysia) alleged that a Singapore coast guard boat had entered Malaysian waters and headed towards a fishing net laid by a Malaysian fishing vessel.
The Singapore police said the reports are untrue, as the incident had taken place in Singapore waters.
They said that last Monday at 6.55am, coast guard officers on patrol spotted a Malaysian fishing vessel in Singapore waters off Tuas. The officers then told a fisherman on board the vessel to leave the area.
After the exchange, a fishing net became entangled in the propeller of the coast guard boat while it was reversing in an attempt to avoid entering Malaysian waters. The net was damaged in the process of being untangled from the propeller.
The police noted that the fisherman involved in last Monday’s incident was also involved in a previous incident in October 2022, when he was advised to leave a live firing area within Singapore waters for his own safety.
According to the police, the fisherman had then falsely claimed that he was in Malaysian waters when he was not. The police had also released a similar clarification regarding that incident. - The Straits Times/ANN
