Taiwan queries Indonesia on allegation fishing boats shot at

Associated Press, Taipei | World | Thu, March 24 2016, 3:35 PM

Taiwan has demanded an explanation from Indonesia after two of its fishing
boats were allegedly fired on by an Indonesia government vessel near the
Strait of Malacca.
Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said it called in an Indonesian representative in
Taipei on Tuesday to express its concern over the incident earlier this week
involving the vessels Sheng Te Tsai and Lien I Hsing No. 116, whose home
port is in southern Taiwan.
A ministry statement condemned the use of force and asked for evidence of
any claims of wrongdoing by the Taiwanese boats that could justify the
shooting.
"And we require that the Indonesian government respond speedily to our
statement as to why our fishing boats fired on the cockpits of our fishing
boats," the statement said.
There was no immediate response from Indonesia government officials in
Jakarta.
Associated Press journalists witnessed the two tuna longliners docked at
Singapore's Jurong Fishery Port on Thursday but were not allowed to
approach. Crew members were seen on deck, some of them speaking by
phone. The Singapore newspaper Straits Times said the two captains and
their 25 crewmembers were tired but in good condition.
The Sheng Te Tsai's captain Lin Nan-yang told the newspaper that the early
Monday morning shooting occurred without warning and he was unable to
understand what the Indonesian crew was saying over the radio.
"Out of nowhere a boat appeared from behind and shown a bright light. Then
we heard the sound of gunshots," said Lin in video footage shot by the
newspaper.
Taiwanese media reported the crew was unharmed but that the Sheng Te Tsai
was hit by more than 10 bullets.
Violent incidents at sea are common in the area known for both piracy and
clashes between vessels whose governments claim various parts of the
disputed South China Sea just east of the Malacca Strait.

On Saturday, an Indonesian Fisheries Ministry patrol ship intercepted a

Chinese fishing vessel off Natuna islands, which overlap the southernmost
reaches of the South China Sea, according to Indonesian officials. A Chinese
coast guard vessel collided with the fishing boat, the Kway Fey, as it was
being towed, allowing it to escape.
Indonesia has refused Chinese demands that it release eight fishermen
arrested for illegal fishing in a growing confrontation that analysts say dispels
the idea that Indonesia has no stake in South China Sea disputes.
Indonesia has accused China of sharply raising tensions by retrieving the
seized boat.

Indonesian economy can

still grow 5.6 percent:
thejakartapost.com, Jakarta | Business | Thu, March 24 2016, 11:00 AM
Bank Indonesia governor Agus Martowardojo has said that the countrys economic
growth could reach up to 5.6 percent this year as long as the government was able
to accomplish structural reform as planned.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has estimated that Indonesian economic
growth would reach about 4.9 percent this year.

The IMF revised its the global economic growth forecast due to the declining
commodity prices and economic slowdown in emerging countries, such as China
and Brazil, Agus said after speaking at a seminar in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The growth assumption in the 2016 state budget is 5.3 percent. The Indonesian
government plans to submit its budget revision bill to the House of Representatives
in May, as part of the governments response to the continuing global economic
slowdown.

Meanwhile, the central bank is projecting growth of between 4.2 and 5.6 percent.

Indonesia should focus more on volatile food prices to keep the inflation rate below
4 percent, he said. If we cannot hold back the inflation rate, it will create a lesscompetitive climate and the interest rate is hard to cut, he said.

The government has introduced a number of economic stimulus packages to boost

the business climate, including measures such as the deregulation of business
permits and employment systems in an attempt to attract investors.