THE names of the son of Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono and the son-in-law of State Secretary Minister Pratikno have emerged in the fishing business landscape. Rino Febrian, Pratikno’s son-in-law, and Indra Nugroho Trenggono, Trenggono’s son, are registered in various company documents related to the fishing industry, including Indo Mina Lestari. This company owns several fishing vessels operating under Trinadi Mina Perkasa.

From September to the second week of October 2024, Tempo, in collaboration with Jaring, tried to obtain responses from Indra and Rino. Interview requests were sent to several office addresses listed in their company documents, as well as to their residences in the Widya Chandra area of South Jakarta and Bekasi, West Java. However, there was no response from either of them until Thursday, October 10.

Sakti Wahyu Trenggono requested his subordinates to respond to the interview requests when he was approached after a luncheon featuring Jade Perch fish in Gambir, Central Jakarta. Meanwhile, Pratikno sent a written response on official Ministry of State Secretariat letterhead on October 7.

State Secretary Minister Pratikno: The process followed is in accordance with the rules 

Your son-in-law, Rino Febrian, is registered in several fishing companies. Did he ask you for advice?

I do not understand business in fisheries. My son-in-law has indeed discussed it with me as a father. I told him that the fishing business is a promising sector that has not been developed well. Young people rarely want to engage in this field.

Our investigation found that a vessel managed by Rino’s company was previously found guilty in an illegal fishing case. What is your response?

I asked my son-in-law about it. The process followed was in accordance with the applicable regulations. I am not familiar with the details, but the relevant officials have granted permission, which means it has gone through the established procedures.

Your son-in-law is in partnership with the son of the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. Do you approve of this?

Collaboration is part of any profession. What’s important is professionalism.

Doesn’t that constitute a conflict of interest, because they are in business while you and Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono are policy makers?

My son-in-law is building his career while respecting the applicable regulations. I have never been involved in the professional work of my children. They are also not engaged in businesses related to my authority as State Secretary Minister.

Director General for Supervision of Marine and Fisheries Resources of the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, Pung Nugroho Saksono: There are no illegal vessels

Director-General of Marine Resources and Fisheries Monitoring of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Pung Nugroho Saksono. ANTARA/HO-KKP

We have found illegal vessels operating in the Arafura Sea, one of which is the Fu Yuan Yu 77. What is your response?

There are no illegal vessels. We have checked, and the majority of them are vessels that have purchased automatic identification systems in China and installed them.

It is not only the Fu Yuan Yu 77. There is also the Run Zeng 03...

That vessel has already been captured, and there is a decision for it to be confiscated for the state. We will use it as a patrol vessel for marine and fisheries monitoring.

How did that vessel manage to evade detection in Indonesian waters?

The Run Zeng vessel initially docked at Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta to process permits. However, somehow it ended up fishing in our waters. Fishermen documented it, and the video reached the President and his staff, including the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. We were ordered to capture that vessel.

There are suspicions of other illegal practices, such as fuel smuggling and human trafficking. What were your findings?

We have handed over that investigation to the Ambon Regional Police. That is not our authority. We only have jurisdiction over the maritime and fisheries sectors.