By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, April 5: Twenty-eight Vietnamese fishermen claimed trial to a charge of entering Malaysian fishery waters and engaging in fishing activities without permits.
The Vietnamese fishermen, aged between 24 to 60, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Sessions Court Judge Afidah Abdul Rahman fixed May 24 for pre-trial case management.
The accused were found on a foreign fishing vessel and were charged with engaging in fishing activities in Malaysian fisheries waters, at a distance of 107.7 nautical miles from Tanjung Sirik, Sarawak, and engaging in fishing activities in Malaysia without a permit issued under Section 19 of the Fisheries Act 1985, at about 12.40pm, on March 20, 2022.
They were charged under Section 15(1)(a) of the Fisheries Act 1985, read together with subsection 24(1) of the Fisheries Act 1985 and punishable under Section 25(a) read together with Section 52(1)(a) of the same Act.
Section 25(a) of the Fisheries Act 1985 carries a fine not exceeding RM1,000,000 each in the case of the owner or master, and RM100,000 in the case of every member of the crew, if convicted.
Section 52(1)(a) of the Fisheries Act 1985, is in addition to any other penalty that may be imposed-order that the vessel, vehicle, article or thing used in the commission of such offence or in relation to which such offence has been committed be forfeited, if convicted.
DPP Yong Ann Nee prosecuted, while the accused were represented by counsel Andin Linton. — DayakDaily
