Kuala lumpur: A sunset cruise vessel was detained by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) for carrying passengers beyond the allowed limit yesterday. Kedah and Perlis MMEA director Romli Mustafa stated that the vessel was detained at approximately 5.20 pm by an MMEA patrol boat during a routine patrol 0.3 nautical miles east of Pulau Bumbon Besar.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, inspections revealed that the vessel violated the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952 by carrying passengers exceeding the permitted capacity. The cruise ship was operated by a skipper along with five local crew members aged between 23 and 37, who were conducting recreational activities at sea.

The individuals involved, along with the vessel and case items, were taken to the Kedah and Perlis Maritime jetty for further investigation. Romli Mustafa emphasized that the agency would not tolerate any non-compliance with safety regulations, especially in tourism-related activities that could endanger passengers' lives.

Romli also mentioned that MMEA will intensify patrols and enforcement operations within Malaysian Maritime Zones to ensure the safety and well-being of the nation's waters are consistently safeguarded.