TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo has again reminded foreign countries not to meddle with Indonesian territories and sovereignty. Jokowi also said he would take stern action against illegal fishing boats breaching into Indonesian waters.

To highlight his commitment, Jokowi has instructed Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menkopolhukam) Tedjo Edy Purdijatno to sink three illegal, foreign fishing boats on Saturday, December 6, 2014.

“A few hours ago, I instructed Menkopolhukam to drown three foreign fishing boats on Saturday for stealing fish from Indonesian waters,” the president wrote on his Facebook wall on Thursday, December 4, 2014.

Jokowi said he made the decision in a bid to cause deterrent effects to illegal, foreign fishing boats. “The message from this drowning is that Indonesia means business in tackling illegal fishing. We have to secure our waters from foreign looting,” Jokowi said.

Tedjo explained the drowning would take place in the waters off Anambas Island. “The boats will be fired at, burned or anything,” he said, adding that the message the nation conveyed through this was “don’t dare stealing in our territories.”

Tedjo added the Indonesian Navy would continue keeping an eye on the country’s waters and ward off illegal fishing boats. “There are some 60-70 ships standing by, not to mention those from the Maritime Security Coordinating Agency (Bakorkamla), the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, the police, and the Customs and Excise Office,” he said.

PUTRI ADITYOWATI | DEWI RINA