Malaysian man detained after using ‘backdoor’ sea route to hide second marriage
A man from Perak was detained after allegedly using an illegal sea route to return from Indonesia to conceal a marriage from his first wife. He was among dozens arrested during a Maritime Enforcement Agency anti-smuggling operation off Selangor’s coast.
- A man from Perak was detained for allegedly using an illegal sea route from Indonesia to hide his second marriage.
- He was arrested during an MMEA operation that intercepted two boats carrying undocumented migrants off Sabak Bernam.
- Authorities said the smuggling syndicate charged up to RM2,500 per person.
MALAYSIA: A 46-year-old man from Perak was detained after allegedly using an illegal sea route to return to Malaysia from Indonesia in an attempt to conceal his second marriage from his first wife.
According to the New Straits Times, the man told authorities he had travelled to Medan to visit his pregnant second wife.
However, he claimed he was unable to return through official channels as his passport was being held by his first wife.
Selangor maritime authorities said the man admitted that his first wife was unaware of the second marriage, and that he chose to enter and leave the country illegally to avoid raising suspicion.
He further claimed this was his first time using an illegal route, adding that he had travelled to Indonesia last week after learning that his second wife, who is five months pregnant, was in critical condition.
Arrest during anti-smuggling operation
The man was among two Malaysians and dozens of undocumented migrants detained during a special operation conducted by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) on Monday (26 Jan).
The Selangor MMEA director said officers intercepted two boats off the coast of Sabak Bernam following intelligence on suspected human smuggling activities.
The first interception took place at about 12.30am, around 1.5 nautical miles southwest of Bagan Nakhoda Omar.
An unregistered fibreglass boat, operated by a 36-year-old Myanmar skipper, was found carrying 26 Indonesian migrants — 17 men and nine women aged between five and 53 — along with the two Malaysian men.
A second boat was intercepted at around 2am, approximately two nautical miles from the same area. That vessel was carrying 24 undocumented migrants, including a three-month-old baby girl.
Smuggling syndicate and migrant accounts
Investigations revealed that the smuggling syndicate charged between RM1,500 (US$382) and RM2,500 (US$637) per person, depending on the distance travelled and the drop-off location.
Among those detained was a 32-year-old Indonesian single father who attempted to cross the sea with his infant daughter after his wife disappeared.
He told MMEA officers that he had no family support in Malaysia, as his parents had died and his only remaining family member was a married sister.
The Selangor MMEA director said all detained migrants failed to produce valid identification documents.
All suspects and seized boats were taken to the Marine Police Force jetty in Pulau Indah for further investigation and action.
