Kota Kinabalu: A paperless fisherman was jailed two months by the Magistrate’s Court, here, Tuesday for trespassing on an oil platform area to fish Moreh Kareh pleaded guilty before Magistrate Marilyn Kelvin to committing the offence at 12.15am on Oct 1, within the waters off Pulau Mengalum, near here, namely at the ERB West Oil Platform, which is a gazetted restricted zone, without authorisation.
He was charged under Section 5(1) of the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act 1959, punishable under Section 7 of the same Act, which carries a jail term of up to two years, a fine of up to RM1,000, or both, on conviction.
Inspector Yusdi Basri, prosecuting, told the court that a police report was lodged at 12.15am on the same date after the Marine Police, conducting Op Taring Gelora using a patrol boat, spotted a pump boat operated by a man, later identified as Moreh, near the platform.
Investigations revealed that Moreh was fishing within the restricted area when he was intercepted by the patrol team.
The officers then detained him and seized his pump boat along with the fishing equipment found on board and brought to the Kota Kinabalu District Police Headquarters (IPD) for further action.