Police recommends routine patrol along Indonesia-Malaysia sea border

NUNUKAN, Feb 2, 2019, ANTARA News. The Indonesian Police Headquarters has recommended a routine patrol along the Indonesia-Malaysia sea border, particularly in Nunukan district in the Indonesian province of North Kalimantan, reported the ANTARA.

The patrol is in response to the recent arrest of an Indonesian citizen from Nunukan district by the Malaysian police for allegedly farming seaweed in the Malaysian waters.

The Indonesian citizen was arrested for violating state borders and failing to produce immigration documents or a passport, Lt. Col. Anwar of the Indonesian Police Headquarters task force said here on Friday.

The arrest of the Indonesian citizen has drawn attention from the government, which later discussed it at a meeting of the National Defense Force (TNI) and the Indonesian Police (Polri) in Jakarta.

Based on information received by the Indonesian Police Headquarters, the government will help settle the case, particularly after the North Kalimantan governor issued a regulation on the spatial seaweed farming zone, he said.

Therefore, police and military personnel should routinely patrol the sea border between the two countries, he said.

“I came here due to the arrest of a seaweed farmer in Nunukan by the Malaysian police some time ago,” he said.

He expressed hope that similar incidents would not recur and seaweed farmers would comply with the regulation.

If they do not abide by the regulation, the police and military will take stern measures against them in accordance with the regulation, he said.

Reporting by Rusman