FREED FISHERMEN ARRIVE HOME

JOHOR BAHARU (Johor, Malaysia), Aug 17 (Bernama) -- Seven Malaysian
fishermen, who were detained by the Indonesian authorities at Batam island for
five days, were glad to arrive home to Stulang Tuesday.

They arrived at Stulang jetty by a passenger ferry, "Pintas Samudra" at
about 11.20am before boarding a police van for Pengerang to meet their families.

Among those who greeted them were Johor deputy police chief Jalaluddin
Abdul Rahman and Kota Tinggi police chief Supt Osman Mohd Sebot.

Speaking to reporters, one of the fishermen, Mulimin Mahmid, 53, said he was
overjoyed, and thanked the government for securing their release and the
Indonesian authorities for treating them well during detention.

"What is in my mind right now is to meet my family. I am disheartened by
what had happened and I do not know whether I want to continue fishing," said
Mulimin, who have been fishing for 16 years.

Another fisherman, Chong Ah Choi, 58, said although the arrest and detention
were scary, he had no choice but to continue fishing.

"I have been fishing 30 years and there is no other work I can do," said
Chong, a father of four from Sungai Rengit.

The Indonesian authorities detained seven of 15 fishermen who were fishing
off Tanjung Punggai, Pengerang, claiming that they had encroached into the
Bintan waters, Indonesia at about 9.30pm.

Besides Mulimin and Chong, five other fishermen detained were Boh Kee Soo,
63, Roszaidy Akub, 29, Faisal Mohamad, 39, Ghazali Wahab, 41, and Lim Kok
Guan, 32.

The Malaysian Marine Operations Force also released three Indonesian Marine
and Fisheries Ministry officers it had detained while escorting the captured
Malaysian fishing boats to the Indonesian waters.
-- BERNAMA