Two Bintan Fishermen Detained For 5 Months In Malaysia Returned To The Homeland

BINTAN - The chairman of the Indonesian Traditional Fishermen's Union (KNTI) of Bintan Regency, Riau Islands, Buyung Adly said the Malaysian government sent two local fishermen after serving more than 5 months in prison for violating the fishing area boundaries.

The two fishermen, Agus Suprianto (26), a resident of Gunung Kijang sub-district and M. Rafli (33), a resident of the Bintan Pesisir sub-district, were repatriated to the country along with hundreds of other Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) through the Sri Bintan international port, Pura Tanjungpinang.

"Alhamdulillah, both of them are in good health. They are still quarantined at the Tanjungpinang Social Service, after that they just returned to their respective homes," Buyung told ANTARA, Thursday, April 21.

Buyung said a total of six Bintan fishermen were detained by Malaysian authorities in July 2021, because the two pompong boats traveling with three fishermen each experienced engine failure and drifted into the waters of Johor Bahru.

After that, the KNTI Bintan immediately wrote to the Regent of Bintan, the Governor of Riau Islands, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to the Indonesian Embassy in Malaysia so that the six were released immediately.

However, the Malaysian government only released four crew members from the six fishermen in August 2021. Meanwhile, two tekongs, namely Agus Suprianto and M. Rafli, were legally processed by the authorities in neighboring countries.

"We appreciate the Bintan Regency Government, the Riau Islands Provincial Government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Indonesian Embassy in Malaysia and fishing organizations there for helping the legal process while in the neighboring country, until the return of the two to Indonesia," said Buyung.

Buyung hopes that in the future there will be no more Bintan fishermen detained by law enforcement officials in Malaysia, because of course it is very detrimental to local fishermen in terms of detention time, even the fishing gear and pompong boats used to catch fish are confiscated and cannot be brought back to Indonesia.

"So our fishermen return to the country with only their bodies. Meanwhile, all fishing equipment has been confiscated," said Buyung.

He encouraged the role of the Maritime and Fisheries Service (DKP) at the district and provincial levels until the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) recorded the number of border capture fishermen.

Furthermore, asking the government to facilitate clear coordinates related to fishing paths for fishermen at the border.

In addition, he continued, the government must also provide border fishermen with adequate communication equipment, so that when a fishing pompong boat experiences an engine failure or drifts to a neighboring country, they can immediately report it to the relevant parties so that it can be handled quickly and appropriately.

"Give accurate and clear references, so that our fishermen do not enter the maritime territory of neighboring countries when catching fish at the border," said Buyung.