Residents Of The Riau Islands Need To Know, Selling Turtle Egg Is Very Prohibited From Being Threatened By The Criminal Lho!

Kapolsek Serasan IPTU A. Malik Mardiansya saat melepaskan warkik di Pantai Sisi Kecamatan Serasan Natuna Kepulauan Riau, Jumat (7/10). (ANTARA)

NATUNA - The Police Sector of the Natuna Regency, Riau Islands, said that strict action would be taken against the perpetrators of selling turtle eggs in the area. "The National Police will supervise and take action in accordance with applicable laws for individuals who hinder the turtle's survival ecosystem and the activity of trading turtle eggs," said Serasan Police Chief Iptu A. Malik Mardiansya in a press statement received in Natuna, Antara, Sunday, October 9. Being on the border between Indonesia and Malaysia, Serasan Island, the perpetrators are known to often trade turtle eggs openly. According to him, apart from violating the law, this activity is an action that will hinder the sustainability of the marine ecosystem. "Wryers are part of the marine and animal ecosystems that are protected because they are threatened with extinction, the hunting for mother turtles and trading turtle eggs is strictly prohibited," said Malik. Because of this, he and the local government on Friday carried out socialization through the release of 430 turtle hatchlings at the Side Beach of Serasan District, Natuna. "The released wood comes from captivity that already exists from the local government's program to preserve turtles from extinction or poaching," said the police chief. Meanwhile, the Bahari Natuna Expansion Community revealed that the sale of turtle eggs is still often found in the area by local residents. "Not only Natuna, we are still meeting the people of the Anambas Islands to sell turtle eggs," said Daeng Bambang, an environmental observer for the Bahari Natuna Community (JBN). According to him, the prohibition on selling turtle eggs and other parts of turtles is contained in Law No. 15 of 1990 and it is stated that animal trafficking players including turtle eggs can be threatened with 5 years in prison and a fine of Rp. 100 million. "I've met turtle eggs for free selling to ship passengers at the port of one of the sub-districts in Natuna and that was in front of my eyes, very sad, but it happened a year ago," he added. Therefore, he said it was important to carry out routine hatchlings release activities in Natuna, part of efforts to preserve turtles and protect the water ecosystem. In addition, he also said that illegal use of natural resources, including turtle eggs and other activities, had become commonplace for some people. "Therefore, education is needed to grow awareness together, it is not easy but it can be done," said Bambang. The Director of Criminal Investigation at the Criminal Investigation Unit of the National Police, Brigadier General Pipit Rismanto, said the same thing online in his statement when he was a speaker at the Workshop Combating Nature Crimes In Indonesia for journalists held by the US. Agency for Global Media, Department of State United States of America and The Society of Indonesia Environmental Jounalists (SIEJ) which were attended by dozens of journalists from various regions, Tuesday (27/9). "Cultural factors and lack of education cause perceptions or differences of opinion in society, some think that illegal natural resource management activities have been passed down for generations and are commonplace," he said. He also did not deny that people's habits and assumptions of this matter became commonplace due to the involvement of law enforcement officers themselves. "However, efforts to take action are still being carried out. If the perpetrators are civilians, the person from the ministry or the police will be dealt with by the general court, if it concerns the TNI personnel, we will coordinate with the relevant parties and will be dealt with by military courts," he said. He argues that the illegal use of natural resources because of this culture can be seen from the factor of hereditary habits depending on the environment where people live. In addition, gold mining and illegal logging activities, for example, abuse of licensing also often occurs in the community. "If they live in forest food they will use the forest, we will not also highlight the community, we highlight in general that in making conclusions, it is a finding that we collect, if there is a difference in our view that it is legal, for example, gold mining or coal crimes are different, the mode is different, illegal logging, for example, maybe stealing wood was clear., now with the development of licensing information technology, it seems that the activity is true," he said. He also mentioned that cultural factors are a problem because no one has changed it and there is a need for education and understanding in the community regarding this matter, therefore it requires the cooperation of all parties.