Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Foreign Affairs Minister Retno LP Marsudi has urged Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) and the association of ship owners in Malaysia to install an automatic identification system (AIS) to protect seafarers.
"The AIS can quickly identify the location of vessels," Retno Marsudi said here Friday.
The foreign ministry has discussed with ESSCom and ship owners in Malaysia regarding this form of communication with regard to piracy on the seas.
"The sailors are asked to contact ESSCom. But, on the other hand they are also asked to contact the Navy, and so on. We discussed all technical problems," the minister stated.
The minister called on Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu to discuss the improvement of security in the respective territorial waters on a trilateral meeting (Indonesia, Philippines, and Malaysia) to combat abduction of seafarers.
The Indonesian foreign ministry earlier urged the countrys ship crew in the waters of Sabah, Malaysia, not to go fishing until conditions become conducive since the abduction of two ship crew members in the area.
The two Indonesian ship crew members who were abducted were identified as La Utu bin La Raali, crew of SSK 00520F boat and La Hadi bin La Adi as crew of SN 1154/4F boat, foreign ministry spokesmen Arrmanatha Nasir said here Sunday, adding that the two fishermen hailed from Buton District, South East Sulawesi.
"Both persons are Indonesian citizens who work legally in Malaysia, but there is no immediate information about the identity of the kidnappers," Arrmanatha disclosed.
Abduction of the two fishermen occurred at about 11.00am local time when they were fishing in the reef area of Pengarus Perairan Kertam around 13 to 15 nautical miles from the estuary of Kuala Kinabatangan Negeri Sabah, Malaysia.
A gray color speedboat manned by four to five persons approached the two ships where both Indonesians were on duty, reports received by the Indonesian Consulate staff in Tawau, Malaysia, Johan Mulyadi said.
The abductors, carrying rifles, robbed the ships and kidnapped the two persons (skippers) of the two ships.
The abductors were then seen heading towards the region of Tawi-Tawi, in South Philippines.
Meanwhile, six other citizens were safe.
Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines had conducted a trilateral meeting in Yogyakarta on May 2016 to discuss current issues on maritime security and stability.
The meeting agreed to resolve the threats of piracy, hostage-taking and other cross-border crimes immediately. (WDY)
