Two Sekinchan fishermen detained in Indonesia to be released tomorrow - Zahid

Two Sekinchan fishermen who were detained by the Indonesian authority on suspicion of encroaching the Indonesian waters will be released and sent home tomorrow.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this was made possible after the Indonesian President Joko Widodo signed the letter of pardon for the two fishermen - Chua Lee Teck and Heng Chee Yong.

He said the duo were currently detained at Tanjung Balai, Indonesia.

"Since the Indonesian court has passed the sentence, and since the appeal period has ended, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has taken the effort to contact President Jokowi.

"I have also contacted vice-president Muhammad Jusuf Kalla and instructed Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim to go to Indonesia," he said when announcing the good news at a dinner in conjunction with Parents' Day celebration in Sekinchan here tonight.

Also present were MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Selangor Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Tan Sri Noh Omar and BN's candidate for the Sungai Besar parliamentary by-election, Budiman Mohd Zohdi.

Prior to this, Ahmad Zahid said the government promised to ensure the release of the fishermen and had definitely managed to keep it.

"Who are we doing this for? For the residents of Sungai Besar and all the fishermen in Sekinchan. The government helps all," he said.

The Foreign Ministry had recently confirmed that three Malaysian fishermen's boats, namely SLFA 4625, PKFB 1512 and KHF 1917, were detained by the Indonesian authority.

Based on information from the Malaysian authority and the Sekinchan Fishermen and Fishmongers Welfare Association, the arrest was made in the Malaysian waters and was inconsistent with the mutual understanding between the two countries in regards to fishery industry.