HOUSE VS MINISTER SUSI DISAGREEMENT HIGHTENS

No fooling in the Parliament stance in facing the Ministry of Maritime (MKP) Susi Pudjiastuti and threatened to use Budget Function as final weapon. Commission IV of House claimed they were losing patience in facing hard headed Minister Susi. All the technical meetings of Commission IV got stuck in a dead end. The problems afield in the fishery sector was getting complicated. “We have made it clear that the policy of Minister Susi is wrong. In very meeting we have tried the soft and hard approach but in vain” Member of Commission IV of PKB fraction Daniel Djohan told Business News (27/7).

Commission IV highlighted the MKPO Regulation which was “To kill a mouse in the rice barn by burning the rice barn” Permen of KP No. 57/2014 was an example. The Regulation regulated landing of catch in fishery wharfs. Also Ministrial Regulation KP No. 2/2025 on the prohibition of using trawl in Indonesian waters. The regulation was designed to protect coral reefs but it threatened fishermen’s life. “We have held meetings but Minister Susi refused to change her policy.”

The Parliament planned to send a letter to President Joko Widodo. If the letter was not responded well, House would set up a special Committee to protest Government policy that killed the fishery sector. “Above all no more communication with Minister Susi.”

The way commission IV saw it, MKP’s policy to eradicate illegal fish in Indonesian waters, but at the same time Minister Susi also made rules that disadvantaged local fishermen. “The fishery sector is injured. Yields dropped and fishermen’s welfare dropped. We reacted hard on Minister Susi but she refuses to admit mistakes.”

Minister Susi’s hard action on foreign fishermen was right. The effort to fight illegal fishing was a matter of state’s sovereignty and Indonesia’ liberty “But we still hope local fishermen would be protected. The policy to prohibit trans shipment is in fact against the Law”.

Daniel claimed he had no personal interest and his struggle was not related with Provincial Election in West Kalimantan But fishermen in all of Indonesia, not just in Kalimantan, were suffering: “They all companied about Minister Susi’s regulation”. (SS)

Business News - July 31, 2015