KOTA TINGGI, April 26 — The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) arrested four men shortly after they allegedly robbed two crew members on board a marine platform in the waters near Tanjung Langsat here yesterday.

The four suspects, identified as locals, aged between 27 and 47 were arrested by MMEA operators pending investigation.

MMEA acting director-general Rear Admiral (Maritime) Datuk Saiful Lizan Ibrahim said the agency was informed about a robbery on board the Aurora Producer 1 platform at 0.7 nautical miles northeast of the Tanjung Langsat Port jetty at 10.30pm on Monday.

He said an MMEA patrol boat was immediately dispatched and arrived at the location of the incident at 12.30am, where they found a fibreglass boat with four people acting in a suspicious manner under the platform.

Saiful Lizan, who is also the MMEA deputy director-general (logistics), said the suspects then attempted to sink their fibreglass boat upon realising the presence of the agency’s patrol boat.

"As a result, the fibreglass boat sank at the location and all four suspects were seen clinging to the platform’s pole before they were fatigued and jumped into the sea.

"All four suspects were successfully rescued by the MMEA patrol boat and were later arrested before being taken to the agency’s Tanjung Sedili Maritime Zone for further investigation,” he said in a statement issued here today.

Preliminary inspection on the Aurora Producer 1 platform revealed that the two local crew members on board, aged 24 and 32, were earlier robbed by three masked men armed with machetes.

Saiful Lizan said the robbers had tied the victim’s legs and hands, and covered their mouths before locking them in a cabin.

He added that both victims managed to free themselves after about two hours and awaited the arrival of the authorities.

"The suspects took off with cables, work equipment and two mobile phones belonging to the victims.

"The authorities are still investigating the total amount of loss due to the robbery,” he said.

The suspects have been remanded for five days starting today to assist in investigations under Section 391 of the Penal Code for gang robbery.