Commission I of the DPR asks the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to act quickly to deal with the kidnapping of 4 Indonesian citizens in Gabonese waters

Member of Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives Syamsu Rizal, asked the Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu) to act quickly to handle the case of the kidnapping of four Indonesian citizens (WNI) by pirates in the waters of Gabon, central Africa.

Syamsu Rizal emphasized that the Government must take a measured handling step if the information about the kidnapping is true.

"The safety of four Indonesian citizens must be the top priority. The government, in this case the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, must move quickly and must not be slow in dealing with situations like this," said Syamsu Rizal, Wednesday, January 14.

According to him, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs needs to immediately coordinate with various related parties, both domestically and with local authorities and international partners, to determine the best steps in efforts to rescue the Indonesian citizens.

"If this information is true, then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must immediately coordinate across ministries and agencies, including with the security apparatus and the local government, so that the steps taken are appropriate and effective," he said.

Furthermore, Syamsu Rizal reminded that Indonesia has experience in handling similar cases. He cited the success of the rescue of Indonesian citizens and the MV Sinar Kudus cargo ship that was hijacked by pirates in Somali waters in 2011.

"The TNI has valuable experience in rescuing Indonesian citizens abroad, such as in the case of the MV Sinar Kudus. This experience must be an important capital if special steps are needed to save our brothers," he said.

The legislator from the South Sulawesi I constituency hopes that the government can act quickly, measurely, and prioritize the safety of Indonesian citizens.

"At the same time, ensure transparent communication to the public and the victims' families," concluded Syamsu Rizal.

As reported, as many as four Indonesian citizens and Chinese citizens were reported to have been kidnapped by pirates from a fishing boat in the waters of Gabon, central Africa. The Gabon-flagged fishing vessel, IB FISH 7, was attacked by pirates while fishing about 7 nautical miles southeast of Equata in the waters of Gabon, specifically the Gulf of Guinea on Saturday, January 10.