A Malaysian speedboat master was sentenced to 22 weeks in jail and three strokes of the cane after attempting to illegally transport two Indonesian men from Batam to Malaysia for a fee of three million Indonesian rupiah.
The man, Afendy Awang, pleaded guilty to two charges under the Immigration Act and one charge of rash navigation of a vessel on Friday (July 12), as per the report.
The incident occurred on April 23 when Afendy had met an Indonesian friend named Ari while fishing in the sea off Pasir Puteh. Ari, who was known to transport individuals illegally from Batam to Malaysia, informed Afendy that two men were seeking transportation to Malaysia.
Afendy agreed to take the men for a fee offered by Ari.
The two Indonesian men, Muhli and Sanapiah, boarded Afendy’s speedboat and set off towards what they believed to be Malaysia. However, upon closer inspection, Afendy realized they had entered Singapore territorial waters.
Afendy’s accomplices, Muhli and Sanapiah, have also been convicted and sentenced.
Following their conviction and sentencing, TODAY is seeking further details about their sentence. The court documents did not provide specific details on the location of Pasir Puteh, but it is believed to be near Pulau Ubin in Johor.
HDespite the misunderstanding of their location, Afendy’s actions were deemed illegal and he was sentenced accordingly.
Afendy had knowledge of Ari’s illegal activities involving the transportation of Indonesians from Batam to Malaysia. Despite this, the two spent time together at a discotheque in Batam and at Ari’s home.
Two days later, at around 4am, Afendy informed Ari that he was returning to Pasir Puteh. Ari mentioned that two individuals were looking to enter Malaysia illegally and proposed that Afendy take them on his speedboat for a payment of three million rupiah. Afendy agreed to the arrangement.
Sanapiah and Muhli boarded Afendy’s speedboat, and he followed the directions provided by Ari. As they sailed, Afendy believed he had reached Pasir Puteh when he spotted a landmass. However, upon closer inspection, he realized they had entered the waters of Singapore.
TRIED TO FLEE
According to the report, at 5:15am on April 25, a special constable on duty at the Police Coast Guard detected two unknown vessels about 1.2 nautical miles inside Singapore’s territorial waters.
A Police Coast Guard patrol craft was dispatched to investigate and spotted Afendy’s vessel, prompting a pursuit with sirens blaring. Despite the authorities’ attempts to stop him, Afendy refused to comply and attempted to flee by steering out of Singapore’s waters towards Changi Naval Base.
During the 17-minute chase, Afendy maneuvered his speedboat in a dangerous zig-zag manner in an effort to evade capture.
A second Police Coast Guard vessel was deployed to assist in intercepting Afendy’s vessel, which eventually capsized, leaving the three men on board without life jackets in the sea. They were eventually rescued by the authorities, and Afendy, who did not possess any travel documents or proof of lawful entry into Singapore, was arrested.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Intan Suhaily Abu Bakar sought a sentence of between six to 8.5 months in jail and three strokes of the cane for Afendy’s offenses.
Afendy ‘dangerously’ navigated his speed boat in a zig-zag pattern during a pursuit that lasted approximately 17 minutes.
She emphasized the recklessness of his actions said “chase duration was long and ended only when Afendy’s speedboat capsized, resulting in the three men falling in the sea” putting not only his own life but also the lives of his passengers at risk by engaging in a prolonged chase with the police coast guard.
Afendy was found guilty of rash navigation of a vessel, an offense that carries a maximum penalty of up to one year in prison or a fine of up to S$5,000.
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