TAWAU – The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency’s (MMEA) noble intention to inspect and offer assistance when its personnel spotted a boat that appeared to have run aground in the waters of Kg Pangi, Kunak, took an unexpected turn, with shots fired by the boat’s tekong (skipper).
Recalling the incident, MMEA petty officer Zainal Abad Komel, 45, said it happened very fast and they did not expect criminals to be on board the boat.
“Usually at 8.30am, fishermen will head home. The location in front of Kg Pangi is usually filled with villagers returning from fishing. The cargo on board the boat was covered with canvas.
“As I approached the boat, I saw the suspect aiming a pistol directly at my face, and two shots were fired. But I managed to turn my face away while pulling the throttle to speed away,” he said.
Yesterday, the media reported that two MMEA personnel, on duty under Ops Khas Pagar Laut, along with four others, were injured when four shots were fired at them as they approached a boat to conduct an inspection.
Following the 8.30am incident at 0.2 nautical miles northwest of Kg Pangi in Kunak, Zainal was blinded in his left eye, while leading rate Prayrie De Cuella Jimin, 35, was injured in both hands.
Zainal said that while he managed to evade the first shot, the second shot hit him below his left eye and blood started gushing out.
“This incident will not dampen my spirits; if I am fine today, I want to get back to work and track them down,” he said, adding that he has come to terms with the injury to his left eye.
Zainal, who is from Negri Sembilan, said this was the first time he had faced such an incident in his 19 years of service with the MMEA.
Meanwhile, the other injured personnel, Prayrie, said that during the incident, only the boat’s tekong was holding a weapon and fired four shots at the MMEA boat.
“The boat tried to speed away, but I also fired five shots towards the boat. I saw two people collapse, but I am not sure if they collapsed because they were hit or were trying to avoid being hit.
“After I fired the shots, the suspects’ boat stopped for about two minutes before taking off again,” he said, adding that they could not give chase due to the low tide. – April 8, 2024