{"id":2143,"date":"2020-05-19T21:27:07","date_gmt":"2020-05-19T13:27:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mymilitarytimes.com\/?p=2143"},"modified":"2020-05-19T21:27:14","modified_gmt":"2020-05-19T13:27:14","slug":"ops-benteng-protecting-malaysian-waters-against-illegal-immigrants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mymilitarytimes.com\/index.php\/2020\/05\/19\/ops-benteng-protecting-malaysian-waters-against-illegal-immigrants\/","title":{"rendered":"Ops BENTENG Protecting Malaysian Waters against Illegal Immigrants"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

PORT KLANG, May 19 — To prevent illegal immigrants from entering Malaysia when the country is facing COVID-19, Ops Benteng has been mounted to keep track of suspicious looking boats or ships entering the nation\u2019s waters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director-general Maritime Admiral Datuk Mohd Zubil Mat Som said the integrated operation is a collaboration between the MMEA, the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) and the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN),<\/p>\n\n\n\n

READ: MMEA Directs Assets To \u2018Hotspot\u2019 <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRMN and RMP assets have been deployed in the operation and 10 interceptor boats have been stationed on stand-by mode on the MMEA mother ships at specific areas along the Straits of Melaka,\u201d he told reporters here today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said as the interceptor boats were not equipped with tracking radar, action could be delayed should they be stationed at the jetties instead of the mother ships. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom the MMEA vessels the boats could immediately be dispatched to the designated areas,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe do not want to have COVID-19 cases brought in by illegal immigrants coming to work here,\u201d he said adding that should the immigrants enter the country there would probably be new clusters of COVID-19 cases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mohd Zubil also warned local and foreign boat skippers or operators against harbouring illegal immigrants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n