Batam (ANTARA) - Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has called on Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono to push for the immediate completion of a Presidential Regulation stipulating sanctions against lobster seed smuggling, in order to safeguard Indonesia’s marine resources.
“This regulation must be finalized soon because smuggling must be stopped immediately. Once again, our marine wealth is extraordinary. We must protect it for the welfare of our people,” Gibran said after harvesting farmed lobsters at the Marine Aquaculture Center in Batam, Riau Islands, on Wednesday (Sept 10).
The Vice President emphasized that the regulation, also urged by Commission IV of the House of Representatives Chair Siti Hediati (Titiek) Soeharto, should be completed without delay to prevent state losses from lobster seed smuggling.
According to Gibran, lobster farming in Batam has already shown promising results, with an initial harvest of 1.7 tons, part of which was exported to Singapore.
“The size and breeding methods are already very appropriate. What needs to be done now is to increase productivity, replicate, and expand it in other areas,” he said.
In addition to lobsters, other marine commodities with blue economy potential include Napoleon fish, jade perch, silver pomfret, and tiger grouper, which also require productivity improvements.
Meanwhile, Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono stated that the government is finalizing a Presidential Regulation on the Task Force for Combating Illegal Lobster Seed Smuggling.
“The regulation on the Task Force is being processed and will be signed soon. I have already reported this directly to the President, and he confirmed that it is under process,” Sakti said during his visit to Batam on Wednesday.
He explained that the regulation would serve as a legal instrument to strengthen monitoring and prevent recurring smuggling practices.
He also noted that Ministerial Regulation No. 7 of 2024 on the management of lobsters, crabs, and swimming crabs is no longer in effect, particularly regarding export schemes under joint ventures.
VP Gibran visits Senen Market to ensure post-riot stability
Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka visited the Senen Market Complex in Central Jakarta on Wednesday night to assess the return of economic activity following recent riots.
According to a statement from the Vice Presidential Secretariat on Thursday, Gibran inspected the Senen Jaya 1 and 2 market blocks in Kwitang, where he purchased traditional cakes and snacks to show support for local vendors.
Accompanied by aides and presidential security personnel, Gibran greeted merchants and spoke with several stall owners.
"This market wasn’t damaged, was it?" he asked one vendor.
The vendor confirmed that the area had remained intact during the unrest and recalled how sellers gave away their goods to online motorcycle taxi (ojol) drivers on Saturday (August 30) after business was halted.
“All the vendors here gave away cakes to ojol drivers because we couldn’t sell what we had prepared. We ended up doing that for two days,” the vendor told the vice president.
Gibran continued greeting merchants and purchasing snacks during his visit, while residents and traders were seen capturing the moment on their phones and attempting to approach the vice president.
He underscored the importance of sustaining local economies and expressed hope that improving security would help small business owners recover and regain confidence.
“The visit reflects the government’s commitment to revitalizing economic and business activity,” the secretariat said.
It added that Vice President Gibran’s visit aligned with President Prabowo Subianto’s directive to strengthen national unity and restore economic stability following the demonstrations.