The deputy secretary of the North Sumatra chapter of HSNI, Nazli, said here on Tuesday based on information from the foreign ministry the number of fishermen held by Malaysia is 38 but according to HSNI it is 39.
One of them, Eli Zainal, had died in Malaysia and his body had been returned to the country.
Malaysia has decided to release 17 of the fishermen whose arrival is scheduled in the evening at Medan`s Polonia airport. The minister of fisheries, Cicip S Sutardjo, was ready to welcome them.
The North Sumatra chapter of HSNI has written a letter to the ministry of foreign affairs to ask for its help to return the rest 21 fishermen, he said.
Nazli said 39 fishermen that had been held by Malaysia hail from Deli Serdang, Serdang Bedagai, Langkat and Batu Bara.
According to other fishermen who were not arrested they were still in the country`s waters when caught by Malaysia police. The Malaysian police however insisted that they had entered into their territory.
Nazli said he could not as confirm about that because the boat used by the fishermen was small with a capacity of only five people.
He said he hoped the foreign ministry would fight for the release of the rest of the fishermen still held by Malaysia.
The 17 fishermen released by Malaysia is scheduled to arrive at 6.30pm.
(Uu.H-YH/HAJM/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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