Police Chief Bans His Personnel to Catch Cantrang Fishermen

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Police Chief General Tito Karnavian instructed his personnel to not arrest the fishermen who still use cantrang (fish trawl). The instruction is in line with the recent policy agreed by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) on the revocation of cantrang ban.

"I, as the National Police Chief, order the police personnel not to arrest the cantrang users in all over Indonesia," said Tito at Jakarta Metro Police HQ on Friday, January 19.

Tito said the instruction is valid until the unspecified time during the resolutions to the cantrang problem. According to him, the instruction was issued since it concerns on humanitarian affairs.

Cantrang is a fundamental problem, he said. "It's about people's welfare. If we only forbid it without a solution, they will be starving."

Read: Minister Susi: Cantrang Can Only be Used in Java Sea

According to Tito, if the fishermen are let to starve, they will march to burn the ship which is the asset of their daily living. "They burn their own ships."

Earlier, Fishery Minister Susi accompanied President Jokowi to meet the fishermen at the Presidential Palace to discuss the ban on the use of cantrang for fishing. The meeting saw that Jokowi decided to revoke the ban initiated by Susi.

Minister Susi Pudjiastuti herself announced the revocation of cantrang ban for the fishermen who were protesting against the policy in front of the Palace but she asserted that the use of cantrang is only allowed in the Java Sea.

CAESAR AKBAR