MT Orkim Harmony: Eight Indonesian suspects expected to be extradited this year - MMEA

Eight Indonesians suspected of being involved in robbing the tanker MT Orkim Harmony in June last year are expected to be extradited and tried in Malaysia this year.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director-general Maritime Admiral Datuk Seri Ahmad Puzi Ab Kahar said the government had agreed to provide allocation to bring all of them to this country.

"Although Malaysia had obtained approval from the Vietnamese Court to extradite and try them in this country, several processes must be made before they are tried in the Malaysian court.

"InsyaAllah (God willing), I expect them to be brought to Malaysia for trial in the near future and I hope the prosecution process will run smoothly and be in Malaysia's favour," he told Bernama.

Ahmad Puzi said the MMEA had made an observation in Hanoi, Vietnam and discussed with the Vietnamse Court on finalising action according to the law of that country regarding the case.

"If the case can be brought to Malaysia, it will be the first extradition case and the MMEA hopes it can be implemented as soon as possible," he said.

According to Ahmad Puzi, the determination of everyone concerned in the Attorney-General's Chambers, Foreign Ministry and MMEA enabled the eight suspects to be extradited and tried in Malaysia as it involved a local vessel and in the national waters.

On Sept 22, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim announced that the application to extradite the eight Indonesian suspects involved in the case had been approved by the Vietnamese Court.

The MT Orkim Harmony, which was lost in the waters of Northern Tanjung Sedili, Kota Tinggi in Johor on June 11, 2015, carried 22 crew members comprising 16 Malaysian nationals, five Indonesians and a Myanmar national.

The eight Indonesian men were detained by Vietnamese authorities near Tho Chu Island in the southern part of the country while trying to escape from pursuers.