REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The government has been urged to be consistent in its operations to sink foreign vessels found fishing illegally in Indonesian waters.

"The government should not hold back on its stern action to ensure that foreign fishing ships do not get a chance to return to Indonesian waters," Professor Salim Said of the Indonesian Defense University said on Friday.

Said was responding to the move implemented by the government to explode, and thereby sink, foreign vessels found poaching fish in Indonesian waters. He expressed hope that the government shows its consistency by increasing the number of naval ships and the funding for fuel for the warships. It would be useless to possess naval ships for the operation if they cannot be deployed due to shortage of fuel.

"Indonesia has regulated the sinking of foreign illegal ships in its law. Foreign vessels can be sunk to teach them a lesson for illegally fishing in Indonesian waters," Said added.

The professor further noted that he appreciated the move by the government, which has taken strong actions against foreign boats that poached fish in Indonesian waters. The government should not allow illegal fishing to be carried out in its waters, he emphasized.

He also pointed out that every country has laws and regulations that have to be abided by. The country where the poachers hail from cannot intervene in Indonesian law, he explained.

"For example, if an Indonesian citizen faces beheading in Saudi Arabia, Indonesia cannot intervene. It cannot force Saudi Arabia to follow Indonesia's law," Said stated.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo ordered the Indonesian Military and the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti to sink illegal fishing vessels that are caught poaching in Indonesian waters. 

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