More Than A Year Of Susi Air Pilots Arrested By KKB, Coordinating Minister For Political, Legal And Security Affairs Ensures That Release Efforts Continue To Be Carried Out

Susi Air Pilot Philip Mark Merthens New Zealand nationals held hostage by KKB led by Egianus Kogoya. (Betweens)

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Hadi Tjahjanto said efforts to release Susi Air pilot hostage Philip Mark Merthens from the armed criminal group (KKB) led by Egianus Kogoya, Nduga Regency, Papua Mountains, were continuing. Efforts to release Philip Mark Merthens were carried out through a soft approach by continuing to coordinate with existing figures in Nduga Regency. "The coordination was carried out so that the hostages who work as pilots in Susi Air can be immediately released," hoped Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Hadi Tjahjanto in Jayapura, Thursday, May 30, to be confiscated by Antara. He added that until now there is still a dialogue so that we can accommodate what we want and at the same time free the hostages safely. "Just pray that what we do can free the Susi Air pilot who has been around for more than a year," hoped the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs.

Philip Mark Merthens has been held hostage since February 7, 2023 shortly after landing his plane at Paro airport. In addition to holding the New Zealand national pilot hostage, the armed criminal group (KKB) also burned the plane owned by Susi Air he was driving. Regarding the nomenclature for the mention of OPM or KKB, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs admitted that his party had held talks with related agencies because the goal was how to solve problems in this area. The nomenclature is carried out and coordinated, it's just a decision. "There is no difference in the pattern of handling OPM or KKB because the TNI-Polri use a welfare approach and law enforcement operations," said the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs.