Malaysia Releases Five Indonesian Fishermen
Jakarta. The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, or KKP, and the Foreign Affairs Ministry have secured the return of five Indonesian fishermen who were caught fishing illegally in Malaysian waters late last year.
"The five fishermen arrived at Kualanamu Airport in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, on Thursday at 8 p.m.,” KKP representative Agus Suherman said in a statement on Friday.
The fishermen were identified as 40-year-old A.R.R. and M.B., 42-year-old I.S., 31-year-old D.D. and 53-year old Z.U.L. from Sei Lepan, a village in Langkat, a district of North Sumatra.
They were returned to their families on the same day, Agus said.
The fishermen were arrested by Malaysian authorities in September 2018. The Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur provided them with legal support throughout their 10-month detention.
Indonesian authorities have managed the return of 101 local fishermen who were caught fishing illegally overseas – 16 from Malaysia, 18 from East Timor, 36 from Myanmar, 11 from Thailand and 20 from Australia.
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