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Indonesia puts pressures on Malaysia amid recurring abductions
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Coming home: Foreign Affairs Minister Retno LP Marsudi (fourth right) poses with Indonesian sailors freed by Abu Sayyaf militants in a handover ceremony to their families at the Foreign Affairs Ministry office on Oct. 7. Several Indonesian sailors have been abducted by the southern Philippines-based militant group this year. Some of them have been released. (Photo Courtesy of Foreign Affairs Ministry/File)
F
oreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi sought on Tuesday assurances from the provincial authorities of Sabah regarding the safety of Indonesians working in the Malaysian state following recurring abductions in the area.
She raised concerns about the Nov. 5 abduction of two Indonesian sailors in Malaysian waters during her meeting with Sabah Chief Minister Dato Musa Aman in Sabah's capital of Kinabalu, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry's director for the protection of Indonesian nationals and entities abroad, Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, stated that Retno reiterated "a previous demand for the Malaysian government to guarantee the safety of roughly 6,000 Indonesian sailors working in Malaysian waters on fishing boats".
Also present during the meeting was commander of the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM), Maj. Gen. Wan Abdul Bari, who oversees Malaysia's security fleet in and around Sabah waters.
Both the Sabah chief minister and the ESSCOM commander expressed their "understanding" of Indonesia's grievances and admitted there was currently "a need to increase maritime security measures".
Jakarta previously asked for Malaysia’s help in securing the release of the captains of two Indonesian ships who were abducted in Sabah waters on Saturday, with minister Retno contacting her Malaysian counterpart Anifah Aman and a peace advisor to the Philippine president.
“The two are Indonesians from Buton [in Southeast Sulawesi] who worked legally on Malaysian fishing ships,” Retno said in Bogor, West Java, on Sunday.
Several Indonesian sailors have been abducted by the southern Philippines-based militant group Abu Sayyaf this year. Some of them have been released. (hwa)
