logo
Six Vietnamese fishermen nabbed for illegal fishing in Kudat

Six Vietnamese fishermen nabbed for illegal fishing in Kudat

Borneo Post25-06-2025
The six Vietnamese fishermen detained by MMEA for illegal fishing in Sabah waters.
KUDAT (June 25): Six Vietnamese fishermen were detained by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) for carrying out illegal fishing in Kudat waters yesterday.
MMEA Kudat director Maritime Captain Hasbullah Omar said MMEA vessels spotted the foreign fishing boat along 13 nautical miles off Pulau Tigabu, Pitas around 5.50am.
'Six fishermen were in the fishing boat and inspection found that none of them had any valid documents to be in Sabah waters.
'All the suspects, aged 27 to 44, together with 300 liters of diesel and for fishing equipment valued at RM2 million, were seized for further investigation,' he said in a statement today.
The case is being investigated under the Fisheries Act 1985 and the Immigration Act 1956/63.
Hasbullah said MMEA will continue to tighten security along the Malaysian border to prevent any illegal entry or criminal activity.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Open by default
Open by default

The Star

timean hour ago

  • The Star

Open by default

WHEN the explosion and fire shook a residential area in Putra Heights, Selangor, in early April this year, residents were left not just with anxiety and trauma but also with lingering doubts. Even after the investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Department – which was made public in June – revealed that ground instability was what led to the gas pipeline explosion, and the police subsequently classified the case as 'No Further Action', residents continue to grapple with unresolved questions, calling on the government to provide them with answers. Why did the explosion happen only there? What about the construction of shop lots near the pipeline's location? And why is it so difficult to access such information? Incidents like this reveal a deeper truth that access to information is not just a tool for journalists or watchdogs – it can affect the lives of everyday Malaysians too. This is one reason why advocates say it is important the government keeps its promise to table a Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill in Parliament soon. FOI supporters say the law could empower citizens in ways that extend far beyond politics and media; from holding the government accountable for safety and land use decisions, to improving services through smarter, more transparent data sharing. Changing the mindset Lawyer and former Selangor Bar chairman Kokila Vaani Vadiveloo says a federal FOI law would benefit ordinary citizens seeking information about government activities that directly affect them, including issues of environmental hazards, land use, and healthcare policies. She cites the example of a notable judgment in 2023 involving a High Court order that required the government to release an accident investigation report about a plane crash that killed 11 people almost half a century ago in 1976. 'This case illustrated how families struggled to access information without FOI provisions,' she says. But beyond that, she says it could also help so many segments of society, such as students and researchers wanting to carry out evidence-based analysis, small business owners who may need to investigate regulations and obtain contract information, or legal professionals looking to gain evidence or background for court cases. Kokila says in South Africa, for example, environmental groups and minority shareholders have used FOI laws to obtain critical information on corporate projects affecting their interests. 'FOI is recognised as a consumer right to enable informed choices,' Kokila says. State and culture The Malaysian public has a right to know how the government conducts activities that shape daily lives, stresses senior manager (research) for the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas), Alissa Rode. Because of the lack of an FOI law, she says only seven out of the 13 states and territories published their annual budget estimates online as of 2024. 'Expenditure information should be considered critical information that is proactively disclosed, but failing that, a minimal right to information would enable citizens to obtain this information,' she says. This also shows that it is important for an FOI law to be adopted by all states, not just at the federal level, she adds, as state governments also possess data that is important to the average citizen. Sinar Project coordinator Khairil Yusof points out that two states – Penang and Selangor – already have FOI laws at the state level. From their interactions with the two state governments, he says the implementation of an FOI law creates not only a legal change, but also a change in culture within the government from being the gatekeeper of information to an 'open by default' approach. 'The cultural change is the under-standing that government information and knowledge resources are publicly funded and that they should be freely available and accessible to the public. 'It also creates an enabling environment for government agencies to proactively share public information and data, not just with the public but also between government agencies,' says Khairil. In practice, existing laws and bureau-cracy often hinder this as government officials are prevented from sharing information with the public. There is a provision in the Penal Code, Section 203A, which Khairil describes as being 'very vague', that discourages civil servants from sharing information. Section 203A states that it is a crime for civil servants to disclose any information obtained by them in the performance of their duties under any written law. 'So often, even if the information requested is not secret, it requires a lot of additional work for both parties to share that information. 'For example, the cleanliness of rivers that the officer already had on their computer.' Indirect beneficiary Another main obstacle to information access in Malaysia is the Official Secrets Act (OSA), as Rode points out. The OSA makes all information confidential by default. 'Without an FOI law, a citizen seeking information would commonly get shunted around the bureaucracy looking for a sympathetic and empowered officer, as there is no obligation on the part of public officials to meet the request or even reveal who is responsible for that data. 'Even if the department in question is willing to provide the data, requests are often deprioritised,' she says. Kokila adds that without FOI protections, any whistleblower disclosing public interest information becomes at risk of prosecution and their disclosures often end up being suppressed by secrecy laws. Thus, Rode says, although an FOI law should at minimum mandate passive disclosure – that is, information is provided upon request – countries with the highest standards of transparency would go one step further and embrace active disclosure and an 'open by default' approach to information. 'Ideally, the upcoming FOI law should set up the expectation that critical information is made available online by default. Exceptions can still be made for security and privacy purposes, but such exceptions should be narrowly defined,' she says. Is there hope? Khairil says there are already examples in Malaysia of a more 'open by default' approach to data collected by the government, such as the Health Ministry's Covid-Now dashboard, the Department of Statistics's OpenDOSM portal, and the Public Sector Open Data initiatives. The results of such initiatives have shown that beyond governance and rights issues, an FOI law also immediately paves the way for an open government and unlocks the full value of the work done by the civil service by making public information open by default. 'It enables rapid digital transformation innovations not only for the governments, but for everyone,' says Khairil. But usually, the general public is an indirect beneficiary of access to information, mostly without realising it, he says, providing what he calls a relatable example: Local councils like the Petaling Jaya City Council and the Subang Jaya City Council do spot checks and grade restaurant cleanliness; the rating is displayed on the inspected premises. 'If this dataset were publicly available, then companies like Google, FoodPanda, or Grab could incorporate these grades in their apps.' To drive home the point of how much the people take the indirect benefits of open data for granted, Khairil points to a global example; the GPS system used worldwide is only possible because the United States government made it public. 'Imagine a world where only limited people could have access to GPS navigation.'

36 Malaysians, including 8 women, held in Thai prison
36 Malaysians, including 8 women, held in Thai prison

The Sun

time10 hours ago

  • The Sun

36 Malaysians, including 8 women, held in Thai prison

NARATHIWAT: There are currently 36 Malaysians, including eight women, currently in Narathiwat Prison after five Malaysian men were sent there early this year. Narathiwat Prison director, Surin Chantep said they were all linked to drug related offences, some still awaiting trial, while others have been convicted and were all currently in good condition and carrying out their sentences without any incident. 'Most of them are healthy mentally and physically. Prison authorities ensure they are free from dangerous diseases. If there are any with such conditions, they would be sent to hospitals with treatment facilities,' he told Bernama recently. The Narathiwat Prison houses inmates from various countries, including Malaysia. - Bernama

Thai military authorized to shoot down drones without warning
Thai military authorized to shoot down drones without warning

The Sun

time11 hours ago

  • The Sun

Thai military authorized to shoot down drones without warning

BANGKOK: The Thai military and police have been granted a right to intercept and destroy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) without warning within the ban on use of drones, reported Sputnik/RIA Novosti quoting aThai PBS report on Saturday, citing the military. The nationwide ban on use of drones came into effect on July 29, and the new measures allowing the military to intercept and destroy drones were introduced in two military districts, including the border areas between Thailand and Cambodia, the broadcaster said. In other regions the decision to destroy a drone will be taken if the military or police leadership consider it appropriate. Thai citizens were urged to stay alert as foreign spies use drones for surveillance and transfer of classified data, the broadcaster said, adding that the civilians were encouraged to report any suspicious cases of drone use. In Thailand espionage, especially with the martial law in effect, is a criminal offense punishable by life sentence or death penalty, the broadcaster added. The escalation of the border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia turned into an armed confrontation on July 24. After clashes in the border area, the sides exchanged artillery fire, with Cambodia using Grad multiple rocket launcher systems, including against civilian targets in Thailand, while Thailand carried out an airstrike on Cambodian military positions. Both sides reported casualties, including civilians. On Monday, Thailand and Cambodia announced agreeing to an immediate ceasefire following a meeting between Acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet mediated by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Kuala Lumpur. - Bernama, Sputnik/RIA Novosti

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store