Jakarta (Antara Bali) -- Currently, some 210 thousand Indonesians work aboard foreign vessels, with allegations that a number of them still receive inhuman or degrading treatment, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said.
Speaking here on Tuesday, she stated that of the total, 61,000 people working onboard 1,500 ships around the Pacific region are treated inhumanely.
Despite this situation, Pudjiastuti affirmed that were no queues for fuel in the last six months.
"This means that fuel was distributed well and was able to fulfill needs. We do not see any shortage of fuel," she added.
The minister also conveyed how lucky the maritime sector was due to various profitable conditions, such as the rising value of the U. S. dollar.
"The rise in the value of the U. S. dollar is like a blessing in disguise for exporters," she remarked.
Moreover, Pudjiastuti also pointed out that fishermen in coastal areas were currently experiencing tremendous harvest. For example, tuna weighing 100 kilograms was caught in eastern Indonesia.
"We must open the eastern Indonesian gateway to transport the fish catch abroad to earn thousands of dollars," she emphasized. (WDY)
