Detained RI Fishermen In Malaysia Released

Jakarta, March 18 (Antara) - The Ministry of Maritime and Fisheries affairs (KKP) has successfully released and repatriated 11 Indonesian fishermen after being detained by Malaysian authority. KKP Minister Sharif C Sutarjo said here on Monday that the 11 fishermen from Langkat, North Sumatra, were caught by Malaysian authority on March 1, 2013. In his effort to protect the fishermen, the maritime and fisheries minister held a meeting with Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia Syed Munshe Afdzaruddin Syed Hassan on March 11, 2013 to discuss their release. "After the meeting, the 11 fishermen were set free on March 15 and allowed to return to Perikanan Samudra port in Belawan on their two fishing vessels," Sharif said. He added that the release of the fishermen was strengthened by advocacy support provided by the Directorate-General of Marine and Fishery Resource Monitoring (PSDKP), and Indonesian Consulate General in Penang, Malaysia. "We really appreciate the determination and the effort of PSDKP, who has wholeheartedly been on our side to undertake the advocacy process to our fishermen during the detainment," said Sharif. He asserted that the protection for the fishermen was a vital effort of KKP, for the task was the implementation of the Presidential Instruction No.15/2011 on the protection of Indonesian fishermen. "Wherever the fishermen set sail, they must be protected by the government, including the accusation of the illegal fishing by other countries. And, the success of the deliverance of the 11 fishermen is just another example of the KKP`s fishermen protection effort," he went on. Meanwhile, Director General of PSDKP, Syahrin Abdurahman, stated that the 11 fishermen were caught by Malaysian authorities, because they were accused of performing illegal fishing in the Fishery Management Area of Malaysia. "They were detained about 60 miles off the Pangkalan Brandan, Langkat district, earlier in March," Syahrin said. According to him, the 11 fishermen were welcomed in Belawan by the PSDKP officers who in turn handed them over to their respective families.