REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Maritime and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti and Head of Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) Muhammad Yusuf have signed a cooperation agreement against illegal fishing.
"The main purpose of this cooperation is to strengthen the coordination between the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry and PPATK, particularly in dealing with crimes related to maritime and fisheries," Minister Pudjiastuti stated here on Monday (5/1).
Some important regulations in the agreement are related to money laundering, criminal cases related to maritime and fisheries, information exchange, assistance, mentoring, and human resource development.
"This is also needed to protect the Indonesian fishermen," she noted.
PPATK Head Muhammad Yusuf remarked that through the cooperation agreement, his institution will be able to easily track suspicious transactions, especially with regard to financial backing for illegal fishing by certain companies.
Yusuf added that PPATK has been examining thousands of reports it has received so far, but there has been no data on maritime and fisheries.
In fact, on the basis of Law 8/2010 article 2 line 1 about money laundering eradication, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries has been expecting to gather data on companies allegedly involved in illegal fishing so that PPATK can trace the suspects as well as their companies.
"I have great expectations (on illegal fishing eradication) after witnessing Minister Susi (Pudjiastuti)'s performance," Yusuf noted.
The agreement between the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry and PPATK on illegal fishing eradication cooperation will last for three years and can be further extended based on yearly evaluations.
Earlier, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries also signed an agreement on illegal fishing eradication cooperation with the Corruption Eradication Commission. The Ministry has improved the utilization of satellites to track and detect illegal foreign vessels in Indonesian waters.
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