Illegal entry: A total of 196 immigrants were earlier arrested after getting stranded at Pantai Teluk Yu in Langkawi. — Courtesy by MCPF Langkawi
LANGKAWI: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has detained a boat with almost 200 undocumented immigrants from Myanmar off the waters here.
However, gathered intelligence indicates there are two more boats carrying hundreds of Myanmar immigrants also hoping to enter Malaysia via Langkawi.
This has driven the MMEA to activate Ops Guard.
MMEA director-general Rear Admiral Datuk Mohd Rosli Abdullah said, based on information received, there were two other boats believed to be ferrying undocumented immigrants at sea.
“However, the exact location of the boats has not been established.
“We have deployed patrol vessels around potential landing sites, conducted patrols around the northern waters of Langkawi and our sea borders, and dispatched planes to carry out aerial surveillance.
“We have enhanced radar monitoring through the Sea Surveillance System to track the undocumented immigrants,” Mohd Rosli added.
He said the MMEA had also contacted its counterpart in Thailand to determine whether they had detected the movement of the other two boats, but they have not been found at press time.
He said the operation was activated to find remnants of the illegal immigrants from Myanmar who were reportedly on their way to Langkawi.
“This swift action follows the arrest of 196 undocumented Myanmar immigrants by the police in the Pantai Teluk Yu area at 3.25am on Friday, after the boat carrying them was stranded in waters there,” he said in a statement yesterday.
He urged Langkawi folk to immediately dial 999 if they see any large, suspicious boats or contact the Langkawi Maritime Rescue Sub Centre at 04-9662750 or 011-58925868 if they notice suspicious activities in national waters.
He added that from 2010 to 2024, a total of 2,089 undocumented Myanmar immigrants were arrested by the MMEA and other enforcement agencies from 18 boats attempting to enter the country.
The Star had earlier reported that some 200 undocumented people believed to be Rohingya refugees from Myanmar had landed on the shores of Teluk Yu, near Ayer Hangat here.
