"The nine fishermen from Deli Serdang who had been detained in Malaysia, are expected to arrive at Polonia Airport, Medan, this afternoon," M Sahri, secretary of the All Indonesian Fishermen`s Association (HNSI)`s Deli Serdang chapter, said here on Friday.
They were released after spending two to three months in jail.
Sahri said the fishermen were released thanks to the advocacy efforts made by Deli Serdang`s HNSI in cooperation with the Indonesian consulate general on Penang Island.
The nine traditional fishermen are inhabitants of Pantai Labu Sub District.
"The Deli Serdang District administration has also given a lot of moral and material support to the detained fishermen in Malaysia," he said.
Up to now, there are 15 traditional fishermen from Deli Serdang are still being detained in Malaysia for trespassing.
Sahri urged the Malaysian law enforcers to free them.
"We hope the Malaysian government could pardon the traditional fishermen who are now in jail on Penang Island," he said.
He also called on the Indonesian and Malaysian governments to discuss and decide the coordinate point of the two countries` border line around Malaka Strait waters.(*)
HAJM/F001
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
