The Indonesian Consulate General In Johor Bahru Facilitated The Repatriation Of Three Karimun Crew Members Arrested In Malaysian Waters

Three crew members (three are in white) with the ranks of the Indonesian Consulate General in Johor Bahru, Bakamla and representatives of the government of Karimun Regency (photo: dock. between)

The Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia (KJRI) Johor Bahru facilitated the repatriation of three crew members (ABK) from Buru Island, Karimun Regency, Riau Islands Province, who were arrested by the Johor Malaysian Maritime Strengthening Agency (APMM) for accidentally entering Malaysian waters without permission.

The three Indonesian citizens (WNI) are Ahmad, Haryanto, and Muhammad Faizal. They are inter-island food traders who use the KM Tambisan Agency ship. The arrests were made on May 26, 2025. However, after an 11-day investigation, the Malaysian authorities concluded that there was no intentional element in the violation.

On June 5, 2025, the three were transferred to a Temporary Residence (TSS) belonging to the Indonesian Consulate General in Johor Bahru while waiting for the repatriation process. Finally, on Thursday 26 June, the crew members were sent back to Indonesia with their ships.

The handover was carried out aboard the KN Tanjung Datu 301 ship anchored in the waters of the Indonesian Sea Border 'Malaysia'. This process was led by the Implementing of the 2nd Consular Function of the Indonesian Consulate General in Johor Bahru, Leni Marliani, who handed over the three crew members to the Head of the West Bakamla Zone, First Admiral Bambang Trijanto. The handover was also witnessed by the Johor State APMM Maritime Commander, Mohd Najib bin Sam, as well as a number of representatives from the Karimun Regency government and other relevant agencies.

"Since the beginning of 2025, the Indonesian Consulate General in Johor Bahru has facilitated the repatriation of six Indonesian fishermen in similar cases," said Leni Marliani. He also appealed to Indonesian crew members and fishermen to better understand the boundaries of the waters between Indonesia and Malaysia to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The Indonesian Consulate General in Johor Bahru expressed his appreciation for the cooperation between the State APMM Johor, Bakamla RI, and the Karimun Regency Government which allowed the repatriation process to run smoothly and safely.