"The essence is that my trip (to Malaysia on November 7, 2016) was aimed at conveying the concern of the Indonesian government over the repeated cases of abduction and hostage taking which has been the third so far in the Malaysian territory," she said at the office of the coordinating minister for political, security and legal affairs.
After receiving information about the abduction of two Indonesian citizens in the Malaysian waters on November 5, 2016, she set off to Malaysia on November 7 to express the Indonesian governments concern and discuss the issue with the Malaysian government.
She said she has asked the Malaysian government to increase security in its waters so that no more abduction will happen.
"It isnt that every country has responsibility to safeguard its territory. That is why I have talked with the foreign minister as well as the chief minister in Sabah and the chief of the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom), which was established to safeguard waters around Sabah," she said.
Minister Retno said he had also met with the owner of the boat where the abducted citizens worked to ask him to increase security measures for his boat as well as with other Indonesian citizens working there.
In a meeting with the Malaysian government several things have been agreed upon such as concern commonly shared by the governments of Indonesia and Malaysia over the repeated case of abduction.
The Malaysian government has pledged to increase security in its waters.
"ESSCom will talk with the association of ship owners as well as our boat crew members to increase alertness," she said.
Two Indonesian citizens were abducted while fishing in the Pengarus Perairan Kertam waters around 13 to 15 sea miles from Kuala Kinabatangan, Sabah, Malaysia.
The two known as La Utu bin La Raali from SSK 00520F boat and La Hadi bin La Adi from SN 1154/4F hail from Buton, Southeast Sulawesi.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
