POLICE WANT FISHERIES DEPT TO LEAD SPECIAL TASK FORCE

KUCHING (Malaysia), May 5 (Bernama) -- Police have proposed the Sarawak
Fisheries Department to lead the special task force to tackle rising violent
crime involving foreign fishermen in Tanjung Manis, Sarikei Division in East
Malaysia state of Sarawak.

Sarawak Police Commissioner Mohmad Salleh said enforcement agencies, such as
the Fisheries Department should be able to understand the situation better
than others as they were familiar with Tanjung Manis, known for its fishing
industry.

"However, we are ready if chosen to lead the task force and I don't foresee
any problems," he told reporters after launching a blood donation campaign at
the Sarawak police headquarters, here, Tuesday.

He said at the moment no decision had been made on which enforcement agency
to lead the special task force since the meeting with the state goverment had
not been convened yet.

"We are still waiting for the state to call the meeting. We will accept
whatever decision made by the state government," he said.

Mohmad said high on the meeting agenda would be picking the enforcement
agency to lead the task force and ways to deal with the rising crime in Tanjung
Manis.

He said the Sarawak Immigration Department, Customs, Sarawak Fisheries
Department and Health Department were expected to be part of the task force.

On April 29, Mohmad said a special task force was to be set up to deal with
the problem of foreign fishermen involved in drunken brawls and murder before
the bodies were simply dumped into the river or at sea in Tanjung Manis.

He said between January last year and April 28 this year, 18 bodies, mostly
fishermen from Thailand and Myanmar, were fished out of Rajang River, dubbed the
"River Of Death", and the South China Sea.

The idea of setting up the task force came about during a recent discussion
between the police, and the state internal security and other departments here.
-- BERNAMA