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Bakamla picks up fishers released from Malaysia
A Bakamla-Riau Islands joint operation has repatriated 16 out of 17 traditional fishers who were detained for trespassing into Malaysian waters on two separate vessels in April and July.
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A high-speed craft of the Maritime and Security Agency (Bakamla) sails waters off Tanjung Uncang district on June 23, 2023 in Batam, the Riau Islands, (Kompas/Hadi Maulana)
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ixteen traditional fishers from Bintan and Lingga regencies in Riau Islands province have been repatriated after they were detained for two months by Malaysian authorities for trespassing the neighboring country’s maritime territory.
Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) personnel picked up the deported fishermen on Thursday in a joint operation involving the Riau Islands administration and the Indonesian Consulate General in Johor Bahru.
Fishers’ groups such as the All-Indonesian Fishermen’s Association (HNSI) and the Indonesian Traditional Fishers’ Union (KNTI) also assisted the operation.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) arrested a total of 17 fishers crewing two fishing vessels, the first in April and the second in July.
The Malaysian authorities detained 14 crew members of the KM Surya Indah 10 fishing vessel from Bintan regency, which allegedly trespassed into Malaysian waters in April.
The three other fishers were crewing the KM Bintang Jaya 9 from Lingga regency in July, when their vessel drifted into Malaysian waters due to engine malfunction, according to the crew’s account.
Indonesia had been pursuing diplomatic efforts since April to secure the fishers’ release, said Bakamla Western Maritime Zone commander Cdre. Bambang Trijanto.
