KOTA TINGGI: A China-registered tugboat has been seized by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) for illegally anchoring in eastern Johor waters.

       Johor MMEA director First Admiral Nurul Hizam Zakaria said that the 62m-long tugboat was detained at 2.15pm on Thursday (April 14) about 26.4 nautical miles northeast of Tanjung Penawar.

       "Checks on the 15 Chinese national crewmen, aged 27 to 64, showed that they all had valid identification documents.

       "However, the ship's captain failed to present any documents proving that the tugboat had received permission to anchor in Malaysian waters," he said in a statement here on Friday (April 15).

       He said that the tugboat is believed to have been anchoring in the area since March 17.

       The case is being investigated under Section 491B(1)(L) of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952, which was punishable with a maximum fine of RM100,000 or a jail term of up to two years, or both.