2 fishermen robbed at gunpoint at Malaysia-Indonesia border

The four robbers came in a speedboat.

KOTA KINABALU: Two local fishermen were robbed by a group of four gunmen believed to be Indonesians in the waters off Hand Rock Sea, about two nautical miles past the Malaysia-Indonesia border yesterday.

Tawau police chief Fadil Marsus said he received complaints from the victims about the robbery at 4pm yesterday.

Police investigations revealed that the fishermen, identified as Mohd Amin Abd Hassan, 35, and Salleh Abd Hassan, 31, from Semporna Bum-Bum Islands, were robbed while fishing.

“At 3.50pm, the victims reported they saw a speedboat with four men onboard wearing plainclothes heading in their direction.

“When the suspects pulled near, one of them pointed a gun at the victims and ordered the two men to go to the front of the boat so that two of the suspects could come onboard,” he told the media today.

Fadil said the two men who boarded the victims’ boat took the victim’s phones and their catch.

He said the suspects put all the items they confiscated into their own boat before speeding away in the direction of Sungai Nyamuk in Indonesia.

The victims asked for help from another fisherman near their location.

Fadil said the case is being investigated as a “police inquiry paper” as the incident occurred in Indonesian waters. - FMT