REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti has warned of a new style of colonialism that could take away Indonesia's freedom.
"If we are not prudent in maintaining our freedom, it is not impossible that it would be snatched again by a new style of colonialism. A form of colonialism that no longer intimidates by using weaponry but by using economic power to colonize a country," the minister stated at a ceremony to celebrate Indonesia's Independence Day on Wednesday.
Economic colonialism would make the capitalists bosses, while Indonesians would merely become workers, she noted.
The minister urged the younger generation to work hard to be able to face global competition.
Freedom means one is free to manage his or her own country's resources without the intervention of outsiders, she remarked.
The minister pointed out that her ministry had to work hard to make innovations and serve the maritime and fishery community.
She claimed the ministry was successful in increasing the nation's fishery production to 5.99 million tons in the second quarter of 2016, including 1.68 million tons from catch fishery and 4.32 million tons from aquaculture. The production increased by 3.89 percent compared to the same period last year.
The government's stern measures to eradicate illegal fishing activities by foreign fishing boats have also helped to increase the production of catch fishery products. In order to achieve sustainable fishery development, the government has banned foreign companies or fishermen from conducting fishing activities in Indonesian waters, but foreign investors are welcome to invest in the fishery processing industry.
This policy has been adopted to ensure that the Indonesian nation maintains freedom in its maritime territory and upholds its sovereignty over utilization of its own natural maritime resources, the minister emphasized. The Indonesian authorities have sunk or destroyed tens of foreign fishing boats caught poaching in the country's waters.
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