Anglers are still slipping onto the piers beneath Penang’s two cross-channel bridges, and some have drilled into the concrete so they can bolt their fishing rods in place.
Fishing gear has been left fixed to the structures, while other anglers pitch tents and stay overnight beneath the spans. Three men and a woman were detained between July and August for trespassing under the Penang Bridge, state Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director Kapten Muhammad Suffi Mohd Ramli said. The four, aged between 29 and 54, were picked up in two raids after repeated warnings and awareness campaigns, The Star reported.
Both the Penang Bridge and the Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Bridge sit inside gazetted restricted areas and are classed as national critical targets. A breach can be charged under Section 7 of the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act 1959, Bernama noted in September, which carries up to two years’ jail or a RM1,000 fine, or both, and offenders may also face action under Section 447 of the Penal Code for criminal trespass. The restriction covers the area beneath both bridges, including buffer zones stretching 250m on either side.
All four suspects were questioned and released on police bail in September, pending further instructions from the deputy public prosecutor, Suffi said at the agency’s media day on Tuesday.
Joint operations with other agencies turned up boats tied to bridge piers, equipment left attached to the structures and makeshift shelters. “Drilling or modifying bridge structures is strictly prohibited, as it could compromise their structural integrity and damage Telekom Malaysia’s communication cables and Tenaga Nasional Bhd’s high-voltage electricity cables,” Suffi said. The bridge operator had to carry out minor repairs over concern that the work could cause cracks and damage.
Authorities are now finalising standard operating procedures that could allow fishing to resume under controlled conditions. The proposals include fishing during daylight hours only, a minimum age of 18, compulsory life jackets and designated fishing hours. Any decision would still need the agreement of the relevant agencies, Suffi said.
Fishing boat operators have appealed for the restrictions to be relaxed. The ban has cut income for the boats that ferry anglers out, and for bait suppliers, food sellers and boat transport operators who depend on the trade.
State executive councillor Datuk Rashidi Zinol has been chairing meetings between the fishing community, boat operators and agencies including the Penang MMEA, the Malaysian Highway Authority and the Chief Government Security Office. He said the aim was a solution that weighs safety, the law and the interests of public infrastructure, and that the community’s concerns should be heard alongside the views of enforcement agencies.
Suffi also acknowledged that anglers have helped maritime authorities during emergencies.
