A 46-year-old man from Perak ended up in police custody after attempting to keep his second marriage a secret from his first wife by entering Malaysia illegally from Indonesia.
The man told authorities he used an “unauthorized route” because his first wife held his passport and was unaware that he had another family in Medan, Indonesia. He had reportedly traveled there last week to visit his second wife, who is five months pregnant.
The arrest occurred during a Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) operation in Selangor, which also saw two locals and 28 undocumented migrants detained early yesterday morning.
Selangor Maritime director Captain Abdul Muhaimin Muhammad Salleh said the first interception happened at 12:30 am, about 1.5 nautical miles southwest of Bagan Nahkoda Omar, Sabak Bernam. Authorities intercepted an unregistered fibre boat piloted by a 36-year-old Myanmar man, carrying 26 Indonesians—including a child—and the two Malaysians.
A second bust at 2:00 am caught another vessel two nautical miles southwest of the same area, carrying 24 Indonesian migrants, including a three-month-old baby being carried by her father.
Investigations revealed the smuggling syndicate charged between RM1,500 and RM2,500 per person depending on distance and drop-off location.
“All detained migrants failed to produce valid identification documents,” Abdul Muhaimin said. “The case is being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (ATIPSOM).”
All suspects and seized vessels were taken to the Marine Police Force jetty in Pulau Indah for further action.
