FOREIGN vessels caught illegally fishing in Sabah waters should be sunk and made into artificial reefs, not returned to their owners, said Junz Wong.

The state agriculture and food industries minister said this would serve as a warning to foreigners not to cast their nets in Sabah territory.

He questioned why the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency always ended up releasing foreign fishermen and their vessels found to have encroached on the nation’s waters.

“The federal agency must explain the matter. If it is standard operating procedure, then it should not be so.

“We want it to be transparent, and the law enforced. We will not settle for anything less.”

His comments followed the recent seizure of three foreign fishing vessels and arrest of 37 crew members. Also seized were 228 illegally caught tiger sharks found on the boats.

Wong said Sabah did not take lightly the issue of foreign vessels encroaching on its territory, and stealing and damaging its marine resources.

“All the (foreign) fishermen detained must be brought to court as soon as possible, and their boats must be seized if they are found guilty.”

Last year, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission arrested 22 people involved in an illegal fishing syndicate in Malaysian waters. – September 2, 2018.