Fishing Vessels Caught Trespassing Waters off Pulau Tekong in Last Five Years
Ministry of Home AffairsSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the number of fishing vessels trespassing in Pulau Tekong waters and the enforcement measures taken, as raised by Miss Cheng Li Hui. Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam reported that the Police Coast Guard (PCG) detected an annual average of 34 vessels for unauthorised entry between 2013 and 2017. Trespassers face penalties under the MPA Act for entering reclamation areas or the Immigration Act for unlawful entry, involving fines, imprisonment, or caning. To prevent intrusions, the PCG utilizes floating sea barriers, land-based defenses, and sensors such as radars and cameras to monitor the coastline. These measures are further complemented by regular patrols to detect and interdict illegal activities within Singapore’s maritime borders and designated working areas.
Transcript
6 Miss Cheng Li Hui asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the number of fishing vessels caught trespassing the waters of Pulau Tekong over the last five years; (b) what measures are in place to prevent such trespassing and whether they are sufficient; and (c) how are trespassers being dealt with.
Mr K Shanmugam: From 2013 to 2017, the Police Coast Guard (PCG) detected an average of 34 vessels each year making illegal or unauthorised entry into the waters off Pulau Tekong for fishing activities.
Parts of the waters around Pulau Tekong are designated as Working Areas by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) due to reclamation work. Unauthorised entry into Working Areas is an offence under the MPA Act. The punishment is a fine of up to $5,000 and, in the case of a continuing offence, a further fine of up to $500 for every day which the offence continues.
Some of the vessels detected included cases of unlawful entry into Singapore by foreigners. These persons were arrested under the Immigration Act. The punishment is imprisonment of up to six months and a minimum of three stokes of the cane, or a fine of up to $6,000 in lieu of caning.
PCG has installed land- and sea-based barriers to protect our maritime borders and coastline. At Pulau Tekong, PCG has deployed floating sea barriers to prevent vessels from entering the designated Working Area and approaching the shoreline. PCG also deploys sensors, such as radars and cameras, to monitor our waters. This is complemented by regular PCG patrols to detect and interdict intrusions and illegal activities.