TAWAU – A Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) personnel, who was shot in the eye in a shootout in the Kunak waters yesterday, has lost sight in his left eye.
MMEA director-general maritime admiral Datuk Hamid Mohd Amin said that maritime petty officer Zainal Abad Komel, 45, was blind in one eye as a result of the bullet striking the eye nerve.
“The surgery was performed at Tawau Hospital yesterday; the procedure to remove the bullet took about two hours. The bullet was successfully removed and he is in stable condition.
“However, due to the incident, the doctor confirmed that he would be blind in one eye as the bullet hit the eye nerve, and he has lost one eye permanently. This is a very serious incident for us; he will be in the hospital for a week for observation, once it’s okay, he will be discharged,” he told reporters after visiting Zainal at Tawau Hospital here today.
Yesterday, the media reported that two MMEA personnel on the Ops Pagar Laut Khas operation, along with four others, were shot and wounded as they approached a boat to conduct an inspection when four shots were fired from it.
In the 8.40am incident, at 0.2 nautical miles northeast of Kg Pangi in Kunak, Zainal was injured in the left eye, while maritime leading rate Prayrie De Cuella Jimin, 35, was injured in both hands.
Hamid said that every member of the security forces who was injured while on duty to maintain security will be compensated and given other assistance that can be channelled.
Meanwhile, Hamid said that the suspects’ boat was seen speeding towards the Semporna sector following the shooting, and that the investigation revealed that all of the suspects had previously been in Suba Duyung and Batik Parang for cross-border criminal activities, specifically smuggling.
“The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has also identified the suspects; now we are collaborating with the PDRM and Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) to track down the suspects; among the assets involved are the Malaysian Armed Forces, including the Royal Malaysian Navy and Joint Task Force 2, which includes two royal vessels and 21 boats.”
“In addition, the PDRM also mobilised assets from all parts, involving five ships and 26 patrol boats and combat boats, while MMEA mobilised four maritime ships, in addition to 15 patrol boats and combat boats; our current focus involves Lahad Datu, Kunak and Semporna to Tawau,” he said.
Meanwhile, ESSCOM has identified one of the three male suspects involved in the shootout yesterday as being on the agency’s wanted list.
Its commander, Datuk Victor Sanjos, said that the identified suspect was confirmed by an eyewitness, who was also an officer involved in an incident where maritime personnel exchanged fire with criminals in Kunak waters.
“Those on this wanted list are not citizens, we have identified them because of that; efforts to track and make arrests are underway, we are gathering all assets to work and track all the suspects involved,” he told reporters at Tawau Hospital while visiting Zainal.
Meanwhile, Victor said the identities of the remaining two suspects have yet to be confirmed.
He also said that his team has collaborated with MMEA and PDRM to track down all of the suspects. – April 8, 2024
