SEPANG – A special task force was established by the Marine Department Malaysia (JLM) to safeguard the welfare of the crew of the vessel MV Berkat Tuah, who were successfully brought home after being stranded at Hamriyah Port, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), since October of last year.

JLM Directo Datuk Dickson Dollah stated that the MV Berkat Tuah case was a complex instance of crew abandonment, involving various legal aspects, international jurisdictions, and the interests of multiple parties.

According to him, at the height of the crisis, 13 crew members—including 11 Malaysians—were affected by the shipowner's failure to fulfill obligations regarding their welfare.

"We have established a task force for this matter. Once the crew members have been successfully brought back, we will immediately liaise with the company and pursue urgent claims," ​​he said during a press conference at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 here on Monday.

The event saw five crew members of the vessel MV Berkat Tuah—including one Indonesian national—arrive safely at KLIA Terminal 1 at approximately 9 a.m. on Monday.

They were the final group of the 13 crew members successfully brought home.

Elaborating further, Dickson stated that the immediate course of action his team could take was to settle a portion of the outstanding wages owed to the crew, which had been unpaid for six months since last February.

He explained that this partial wage payment was carried out through the Maritime Trade Centre Fund (KWPPL) and the National Union of Seafarers Peninsular Malaysia (NUSPM).

"Next, we will seek the outstanding balance (of unpaid wages) from the company involved—which is a local company—and we are addressing this matter urgently.

"This situation stems from the crisis in West Asia; it is not just affecting Malaysia—there are 410 other vessels and 6,000 seafarers worldwide still stranded there," he said.

He added that upon being informed of the issue concerning the crew, the Marine Department Malaysia (JLM) mobilized a coordinated effort involving the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Malaysian Embassy in the UAE, the Consulate General of Malaysia in Dubai, and NUSPM.

Also involved were the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), Protection and Indemnity (P&I) insurance providers, UAE authorities, the shipowner, and all relevant stakeholders, all working to ensure the crew's welfare and rights were upheld.

"Seafarers' associations in Sabah and Sarawak also played a vital role, providing unwavering moral support to the crew throughout their time there.

"As the crew's situation became increasingly concerning, I personally led a special mission to the United Arab Emirates starting on July 13 to assess conditions on board the vessel firsthand."

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