TEMPO.CO, Kuala Lumpur - As much as 2 million liters of diesel fuel carried by a Japanese tanker have been robbed by armed pirates on the waters about 16 miles off Ketam Island, a small island on an offshore of Port Klang, Malaysia, yesterday, around 1 a.m.

Quoted from the Malaysian Insider, according to the report of Marine Police Commander of Port Klang, Muhammad Said, to Bernama news office, the pirates consist of five people. Two of the pirates had a pistol gun and the other one was using a machete.

During 7-8 hours, the pirates robbed 2 of the 5 million liters of diesel fuel carried by the tanker that was traveling to Myanmar and Singapore.

According to Said, they were on board around 1 a.m. The diesel fuel were pumped in the two tankers owned by the pirates. Eighteen crew members including the captain, was tied up. Three crew members of the tanker were then kidnapped.

A while after the pirates left the tanker, the captain managed to set himself free and reported the incident to the marine police. The Port Klang Police directly sent personnels to the location.

The Japanese tanker was brought to the pier to be futher investigated. Meanwhile the police are still hunting the pirates; the captain and crews are reported to be safe without anyone being harmed.

ANINGTIAS JATMIKA | MALAYSIAN INSIDER