Statement of President of the Republic of Indonesia at Dialogue with Local Fishermen in Lamongan Regency, 6 May 2021, at Brondong Fishing Port (PPN), East Java Province

The Regent of Lamongan (Yuhronur Efendi)

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Distinguished Pak President, Ibu Governor, Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries. Alhamdulillah, we thank you Pak President for attending the event with us, the community of Lamongan Regency, an agricultural as well as a marine regency.

The regency has tremendous marine potential, Pak President. We have 47-kilometer coast lines. And we have around 3,432 ships here, Pak President.

Besides capture fisheries with total of 79 thousand tons per year, we also have aquaculture production with 56 thousand tons per year, Pak President, the largest producer in Lamongan Regency. In total, our fisheries production has reached 136 thousand tons per year, and Lamongan Regency is the largest producer in East Java, Pak President. On the production value, the total value of transaction is around Rp2.6 trillion per year, yes in one year.

In Lamongan, we have 5 Fish Auction Sites (TPI), Sir. The biggest one is here at Nusantara Fishing Port with more than 8 hectares of land. Every day, around 25-30 fishing boats on average load and unload to carry out fishing activities for one or two weeks. The total of daily transactions at the TPI has reached an average of Rp1-1.5 billion per day with the types of fish you have seen earlier, Sir.

The average production value reached 53 thousand tons per year and almost reached Rp1 trillion per year at Brondong Fishing Port, Sir.

That is all for my report, Pak President.

Of course, the community here also expects for deepening the fish pondsand anchorage area as well as additional facilities and infastructure so that the TPI will be more hygienic, making the fish production is even better for export needs.

That is all, Pak Presiden.

Next, please give your advice, motivation, and support for our community, the fishing community in Paciran.

I thank you and wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

President of Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.
Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Distinguished Pak Minister, Ibu Governor, Pak Regent, and all fishermen who attend the TPI Brondong this morning, in Lamongan Regency.

Earlier, we have received a lot of information from Pak Regent. However, I expect more details. If anyone from this fishing community wants to say something, I will listen. I wouldn’t say much. Please, anyone.

Agus Mulyono (Fishermen’s Representatives)

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

My name is Agus Mulyono, a fisherman from Kandangsemangkon Village, Paciran District, Lamongan Regency.

I’d like to say that all of these boats from the north to the west end behind you, Sir, are cantrang (seine net) boat operators, Sir. We ask that cantrang can be maintained since it has been set in the Ministerial Regulation. The evaluation does not change the construction, yet only the name stays the same, Pak Minister.

And we expect for the fishing permit (SIPI) to be issued immediately, Sir. Because the permit has not been issued yet after all these 1.5 years. We seek for business certainty. Fishing community is ready to pay taxes according to Gross Tonnage (GT), if the GT is affordable. For instance, 1 GT will be Rp100 or Rp200 thousands per year just like vehicle tax, Sir, not like an income tax (PPh). Income tax will be hard to pay during the scarcity season (paceklik). Thus, it’s not like we’re neglected, Sir.

I thank you. That is all I can say. And I have met you, Sir, at the Palace.

Thank you. Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Well, for technical matters like this, let the Minister answer the questions directly. I understand what you have mentioned earlier. However, let the Minister answer it later because this is very technical, okay?

Aditya (Fishermen’s Representatives)

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

I am Aditya from Blimbing Village. I happen to be a boat owner, Sir.

I’d like to convey that the water depth of the port is a bit shallow, Sir, it makes our ships often wait for a moment to sail. And, secondly our boat propellers keep breaking due to shallow waters. We seek a policy or any solution to make.

I thank you, Sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

I will answer this one directly. I’m working on this shallow-water issue immediately. I will make a phone call to Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) after this session. I will inform when the construction begins immediately.

Heri Waryanto (Fishermen’s Representatives)

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

My name is Heri Waryanto from Brondong Fishing Community. I’m a fisherman, I’d like to ask about the price of fish, Sir. Can the price be adjusted according to our performance to provide for our family, Sir? Can it stay expensive as it used to be?

That’s all the question, Sir.

I thank you.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Well, regarding commodity prices. The price of fish products depends on market demand. If the demand for fish is high with inadequate fish products supply, then the price will definitely increases. But if there are a lot of fish products supply, but the demand is low, surely the price will drop. That applies to all commodities, including rubber, palm oil, rice, and fish.

And the Government cannot control the price and the mechanism since it involves a large market. There is an export market, because I have asked earlier that many fish products were also exported, but we cannot control the domestic market. I have to say the truth that we can’t control the price. The Government can only provide the permit. But to control the price, it’s difficult.

We have rice from Bulog (the State Logistics Agency). The rice belongs to Bulog, it can be stored for years but we often find it difficult to control, if the price doesn’t go up too much, we can control it. But if no products, the supply is inadequate, the price increases a little, it’s also difficult for us to control it.

And I’m sorry, I will also point out rice as an example. If the price of rice increases, the farmer is happy, right? But the people will speak to me, “Sir, the price of rice has increased. What will you do? ” right?

If the price drops, the people all come to me saying, “Sir, thank you, Sir, the price of rice has dropped, thank you,”

I have visited several rice fields to meet farmers and they said, “Sir, how was the price? How can you, as the President, improve the price? It’s difficult for farmers, Sir.”

That is what we called the demand and supply formula. If there is a lot of rice production but the demand is stagnant, the price will definitely drop. However, if many farmers face harvest failure but the supply is quite low, while the demand is still high, the price will increase. These two aspects control the price sometimes, not to mention that the products come from Bulog, so we have stocks.

The Government doesn’t have fish product stocks, because we don’t have the instruments for that. That way, I say it is what it is, it really depends on the market.

That also applies to rubber. I have visited Sumatra and all the farmers scolded, they were mad at me. However, rubber is an international export commodity, not domestic. If the current demand is higher up to 40 percent, it is not because of us, it is because the market demand is right, the absorption is a lot. It stopped a year ago, there was no absorption. When the absorption is high, the price will increase immediately. If I pay a visit to Sumatra, many of them are happy saying, “Thank you, Sir, the price of rubber has increased.” It is not because of me.It is because of the market so that the price is increasing.

To that end, I’m sorry to talk the truth, we cannot control the price. If there is a way that the Government can do to control it, please let me know, so we probably can formulate a way.

Rice, for instance, we can control the price of rice but it’s just a small amount, not much. We can control around Rp200 or Rp300 per kilo, we cannot control more than that amount.

I am speaking bluntly, it is what it is. We don’t want to please you, apparently to please you, but in fact we cannot do it, it’s not like that, okay.

Please, if there’s one more question. Go ahead.

Mugiyanto (Fishermen’s Representatives)

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

My name is Mugiyanto, a fisherman from Brondong, Brondong District, Lamongan Regency, Sir.

Well, I will convey regarding the mud in front of the prayer room is very shallow. We cannot do our activities properly, Sir. The shallow has been this high, Sir. Actually, only load-unload activities allowed for cantrang boat operators at this TPI, Sir. Meanwhile, fisher cannot unload here, Sir. We should unload at another area.

Second, regarding the entry and exit areas, the bow light is a bit small. Even the distance of two miles is not visible with the light. This endangers all fishermen in the port, Sir. The bow light in this beacon tower.

Please kindly raise the light again, Sir, so the distance of three or four miles can be visible.

That’s all, Sir. I thank you.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

The first one is about water shallow depth, right? Okay, we will work on the issue at once as well.

Regarding the bow lights, I have made a note. I will do all of them all at once, okay. I have been calling Minister of of Public Works and Public Housing, but he is not answering yet.

All clear?

Well, I think that’s all if no more questions. But wait a moment, I just made a phone call. I will immediately inform when water shallow depth and the bow lights can be done.

Dialogue of President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo) with Minister of Public Works and Public Housing via Telephone

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Sir, Pak Minister, Pak Minister?

Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (Basuki Hadimuljono)

Yes, Sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Can anyone at the Ministry carry out port dredging project? Is there any signal? (voice of the phone call is not heard clearly)

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Two months more, okay. Please, Pak Regent note that.

(Phone call connection was lost)

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Okay. Then, is this enough? Enough of this building?

Okay, okay, yes. the bow lights issue, right. The bow lights and the …

Fishermen’s Representatives

The breakwater, Sir, the breakwater in the east so that all fish can be sold out, not just in here or there, Sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Only one breakwater there?

Breakwater… breakwater, water shallow depth in two locations, the bow lights. Four.

Regarding the breakwater, is it handled by PUPR Ministry, right? Yes? PUPR Ministry? No.

Water shallow in two locations, the bow lights, and the breakwater. Okay, done. We will work it out in two months, okay.

Connected? Already? Connected? Okay.

Dialogue of President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo) with Minister of Public Works and Public Housing via Telephone

Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (Basuki Hadimuljono)

Hallo?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Pak Minister, the breakwater issue is handled by PUPR Ministry or Ministry of Transportation?

Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (Basuki Hadimuljono)

The breakwater issue can be handled by PUPR Ministry, Sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Okay. When can it be completed in Lamongan??

Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (Basuki Hadimuljono)

Okay, Sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

No. I mean how long will it take? How many months can it be executed on the ground?

Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (Basuki Hadimuljono)

We will visit the port after lebaran (a religious holiday), Sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

It is estimated to visit the port after lebaran, then when will the work start?

Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (Basuki Hadimuljono)

We probably will open a tender process, Sir, which starts in June. We will visit the port in July or August, Sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

In August? Okay.

Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (Basuki Hadimuljono)

Yes.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Okay done. In Lamongan by August. Okay. Pak Regent will inform the location. Thank you.

The breakwater issue will be handled in August. Noted. The breakwater will be in August, while water shallow depth will be executed in two months, okay. (SA/LW)