Minister Suharso Reveals 4 Strategic Issues Of Maritime Security, Including Chinese Claims In The Natuna Sea

JAKARTA - Minister of National Development Planning (PPN) / Head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Suharso Monoarfa revealed four strategic issues of marine security after holding a meeting with the Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla).

The four strategic issues are the first, the threat of transnational crimes such as cases of IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing, armed piracy, smuggling of narcotics, illegal trade, and human trafficking still occurs in Indonesian marine areas," said Suharso, quoted from the Instagram page @suharsonoarfa, Friday, March 31, confiscated by Antara.

The second strategic issue is the potential vulnerability of Indonesia's sovereignty and sea navigation such as the unresolved maritime border dispute and navigation issues at sea.

Furthermore, the competition for resources and territorial claims is the third issue of marine security strategies.

"Regarding this third issue, the struggle for food, energy and minerals at sea is increasingly prominent, including claims of sovereignty (creeping jurisdiction) such as China's claims in the North Natuna Sea region," he said.

The fourth is the issue of sea trade routes, sea transportation routes and the interests of the Indian Ocean.

According to Suharso, Indonesia's geostrategic position, which is located at the intersection of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, has made Indonesia one of the countries passed by Sea Line of Trade/SLOT and Sea Line of Communication/SLOC, which is the main global maritime route between ports for trade routes, logistics, and naval mobilization.

"To anticipate these various issues, Bakamla will develop a national maritime security system," said Suharso.