Malaysia, January 28: A 46-year-old lorry driver from Perak was detained by the Selangor Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in the early hours of Monday, January 26, 2026. The man was discovered among 28 undocumented migrants aboard an unregistered fiberglass boat intercepted off the coast of Sabak Bernam, Selangor. Authorities confirmed the arrest on Wednesday, January 28, noting that the individual was attempting to sneak back into Malaysia after an unauthorized trip to Indonesia.

The suspect admitted to investigators that he resorted to the "backdoor" sea route to keep his second marriage a secret from his first wife. He claimed his first wife in Perak was unaware of his second family in Medan and had possession of his passport, making legal air travel impossible. His decision to risk the crossing was reportedly triggered by news that his second wife, who is five months pregnant, was in critical medical condition. Grok Banned in Malaysia, Indonesia: Countries Become First To Block Elon Musk’s AI Chatbot Over Se*ualised Deepfakes Images.

The arrest was part of a targeted strike by the Selangor MMEA against human smuggling syndicates. At approximately 12:30 AM, maritime officers intercepted the suspect’s boat 1.5 nautical miles southwest of Bagan Nakhoda Omar.

The vessel was operated by a 36-year-old Myanmar national and was carrying 26 Indonesians, 17 men and nine women, alongside two Malaysian men. A second boat was intercepted shortly after at 2:00 AM in the same area, carrying another 24 undocumented migrants, including a three-month-old infant. Archaeologists Unearth 200,000-Year-Old Evidence at Leang Bulu Bettue of Ancient Human-Like Species Living Alongside Early Humans.

During questioning, the man revealed that this was his first time using an illegal sea route. He had traveled to Medan the previous week to visit his ailing second wife and spent several days in Indonesia before attempting the return journey.

He explained that by avoiding official immigration checkpoints, he hoped to prevent his first wife from discovering his second marriage. Investigators found that smuggling syndicates typically charge between RM1,500 and RM2,500 per person for such hazardous maritime crossings.

Selangor Maritime Director Captain Abdul Muhaimin Muhammad Salleh emphasized that despite the personal nature of the man's story, the act remains a serious breach of the Immigration Act 1959/63. Under Malaysian law, illegal entry or exit can result in heavy fines, imprisonment, or caning.

The operation also highlighted other desperate stories of migration; among those detained was a 32-year-old single father from Aceh, who was attempting to return to Indonesia with his three-month-old daughter after his wife reportedly abandoned them in Malaysia. All detainees have been taken to the Selangor Maritime Jetty for further processing and COVID-19 screening.

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 28, 2026 06:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).