Penang maritime enforcement officers detained three people for entering a restricted area beneath the Penang Bridge during a routine patrol in state waters.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said the two men and a woman were found near one of the bridge pillars inside a gazetted protected zone without permission.
Penang MMEA director Maritime Captain Muhammad Suffi Mohd Ramli said officers spotted the trio at about 1:30pm on 3 August while conducting a routine patrol. They were inside the Protected Areas and Protected Places (KLTL) beneath the bridge, he said in a statement on 4 August, as reported by The Star.
“The suspects are believed to have committed an offence under Section 447 of the Penal Code for criminal trespass,” Suffi said.
All three were detained and escorted to the Marine Police Force jetty in Batu Uban before being handed to investigating officers at the MMEA Penang headquarters for further action.
The waters beneath the Penang Bridge and the Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Bridge are gazetted as Protected Areas and Protected Places. The restricted zone covers a 250-metre buffer zone on both sides of each bridge, NST reported.
Both bridges are classified as National Key Targets under the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act 1959, as The Star noted in a 25 July report on Op Khas Bersepadu. The restricted areas protect strategic infrastructure including high-voltage electrical and communication cables. Violators face up to two years’ jail, a fine of up to RM1,000, or both.
The arrests came weeks after the MMEA and several enforcement agencies launched Op Khas Bersepadu to tighten security beneath both bridges. A patrol on 25 July found no trespassers, which authorities said reflected high compliance among the maritime community. Suffi said the enforcement action aimed to ensure compliance and to raise awareness among the public about observing restrictions in gazetted areas.
He reminded the public that the prohibition covers the entire area beneath both bridges, including the 250-metre buffer zones. The MMEA advised anyone with information on suspicious maritime activities or emergencies at sea to contact the Penang MMEA Operations Centre at 04-2626146 or call 999.
