3 dead in Terengganu boat capsize: Operator, travel agency did not have valid licences, says minister

KUALA LUMPUR: The authorities have uncovered a string of offences in a deadly boat capsize off two well-known resort islands in Terengganu last Saturday (Jun 28) that killed three people. 

The travel agency and boat operator did not have valid licences and failed to ensure passengers wore life jackets, a minister said on Sunday, adding an investigation would be conducted into the fatal incident off Perhentian Islands.

The boatman also tested positive for drugs and has been arrested, said the district police chief of Besut in Terengganu state.

The boat, carrying 15 passengers aged between three and 40, capsized during a storm at around 10.30pm last Saturday near the islands off peninsula Malaysia’s northeastern coast. Two children aged three and 10 were among the three people who died.

“I am deeply angered and disappointed by the tragic boat capsize incident off Pulau Perhentian, which resulted in three deaths and nine injuries,” said Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing in a statement, as quoted by media outlet New Straits Times (NST). 

“I have instructed the ministry to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.” 

Tiong said the licences of the agency and operator – which were not named – expired in April this year. The two parties also failed to ensure passengers onboard wore life jackets. 

“Most alarmingly, the boatman tested positive for drugs in his urine test,” he added, as quoted in local media reports.

Besut district police chief Azamuddin Ahmad @ Abu said earlier on Sunday that the boat driver, who is in his 20s, has a record of five prior drug-related offences.

“The fact that the travel agency saw fit to hire such a person to ferry passengers at sea is a gross negligence of safety and a complete disregard for human lives,” Tiong added in his statement on Sunday. 

The police have identified the deceased as S Arumugam, 40, his three-year-old daughter A Sarrvihka, and a 10-year-old relative, V Vennpani.

Azamuddin also said on Sunday that the 12 other people on the boat, including a six-year-old who was in critical condition, were rushed to Besut Hospital for treatment. 

CALLS FOR STRICTER ENFORCEMENT ON BOAT OPERATORS 

A local non-governmental organisation (NGO), Alliance For A Safe Community, said on Sunday that the incident off Perhentian Islands reflects a persistent failure to enforce basic marine safety and a wider issue in Malaysia’s maritime tourism.

“Over the past couple of months, there have been few such incidents in rough weather and boat passengers have drowned, many of whom were not wearing life jackets,” its chairman Lee Lam Thye said, as quoted by NST. 

Lee called for strict enforcement and accountability in the form of random checks, and penalties such as warnings and licence suspension to be meted out on boat operators.

“The general level of safety awareness is still poor. Passengers have not embraced a safety culture. More must be done to promote this culture among boat users,” he added, highlighting the urgency in light of the upcoming Visit Malaysia 2026 tourism campaign. 

Minister Tiong agreed that failure to address such issues could “severely affect” Malaysia’s tourism industry in the long run and warned tourism operators not to compromise on safety standards.

“Malaysia has already experienced numerous incidents that have cast a shadow over our tourism sector, damaging the country’s reputation and, in some cases, prompting foreign governments to issue travel warnings against certain destinations here,” Tiong said. 

Earlier this month, on Jun 5, another boat capsized in Port Klang, Selangor, resulting in the five deaths. The victims were found to not have been wearing life jackets. 

Separately, Tiong said tour bus safety management is among his ministry’s key areas of focus. It is working to transfer the regulation of tourism-related transport vehicles from the Transport Ministry back to his ministry. 

“Once this jurisdiction is reinstated, we will undertake a comprehensive review of current regulatory frameworks to significantly reduce the occurrence of tour bus accidents,” he said.

Also on Sunday, Malaysia’s Road Transport Department announced that drivers and passengers of express and tour buses must wear seat belts from Jul 1 or face a fine of RM300 (US$71.20), local media reported. 

They are part of measures announced in the wake of a crash this month in Perak that killed 15 university students.