INDONESIA FREES THREE MALAYSIAN FISHERMEN

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 (Bernama) -- Three Malaysian fishermen held by the
Indonesian Navy on one of the Natuna islands since Sept 29 last year have been
freed.

Members of the Umno Youth community complaints bureau, which had been
working for their release, brought the three back here last Saturday.

The United Malays National Organisation, or UMNO is Malaysia's largest
political party; a founding member of the National Front (Barisan Nasional-BN)
coalition, which has played a dominant role in Malaysian politics since
independence.

Adenan Said, 49, Saifullizan Hamzah, 29, and Almi Awang, 43, were freed
after discussions with the Indonesia authorities and with the cooperation of the
Malaysian consulate at Pekan Baru, bureau chairman Muhd Khairun Aseh said
Monday.

The three fishermen, who will return home to Terengganu tonight, said they
were grateful to all concerned for their release and regarded their experience
as "unforgettable".

Almi said that this was the first time he had been detained in the 12 years
that he has been a fisherman.

All three said they would return to fishing after resting for a month or
two.


They said they were well treated but were not allowed to make any outside
call.

Almi said that there were at the Malaysia-Indonesia marine border when they
saw an Indonesian Navy battle ship approach.

The boat skipper, an Indonesian, was told to get on board the ship.

Half an hour later four men from the ship got on their boat and told them to
head for the Natuna islands, Almi said.

He said they were detained for allegedly entering Indonesian waters.

-- BERNAMA