PETALING JAYA: Three Malaysian fishermen have been released by the Indonesian navy after being detained for more than three months for allegedly entering the republic’s territorial waters illegally.
Adenan Said, 49, Saifullizan Hamzah, 29, and Almi Awang, 41, all from Dungun in Terengganu, were set free on Saturday.
They had been detained on Sept 29.
The three claimed they were in a boat for a fishing trip, and that the boatman was an Indonesian.
“We did not know that our boat had crossed into Indonesian waters,” said Almi at a press conference organised by the Umno Youth community complaints bureau office here yesterday.
He added that while fishing, they saw an Indonesian navy ship approaching and they stopped.
“Four navy officers came on board our boat and told us that we were in Indonesian waters. We were then arrested,” said Almi.
He added that the navy officers then took them to Ranai island where they were detained until last Saturday.
Initially, the three had given up hope of ever being released, not realising that there were negotiations with the Indonesian authorities to free them.
“So it came as a shock, and we were surprised when two members of the Umno Youth community complaints bureau came to take us home on Saturday,” he said.
Bureau chief Datuk Muhd Khairun Aseh said negotiations with the Indonesian authorities had begun in October, after they were informed about the case by the Malaysian Consulate in Indonesia.
Muhd Khairun said success was sweet, as it was the first time the bureau managed to solve a case involving fishermen detained by Indonesian authorities.
When asked about a similar case involving Awang Pa @ Ibrahim Derahman, 57, who was arrested on Jan 24, 2009 for encroaching into the waters of the neighbouring country and failing to pay the compound, he said talks were still continuing.-TheStarOnline
