Frequently Called For Discussion By Jokowi, Megawati Asked To Socialize Indonesia As A Maritime State

Megawati Soekarnoputri was the keynote speaker for Napak Tilas Ratu Kalinyamat, Nusantara Maritime Hero, which was held by the Indonesian Navy./SPECIAL DOK

JAKARTA - The 5th President of the Republic of Indonesia Megawati Soekarnoputri said that she often discussed with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). He was asked to make young people proud of Indonesia, which is a maritime country, not a continental one.

This was conveyed by Megawati when she was the keynote speaker for Napak Tilas Ratu Kalinyamat, a Maritime Hero of the Archipelago, which was held by the Indonesian Navy.

"I am often called by the President to discuss saying that socialization is to instill and pass on to our young generation that our country must be proud because we are made up of land and water," Megawati said in a written statement, Thursday, August 14.

Megawati said Indonesia as the largest archipelagic country in the world should be able to build influence. Moreover, the First President of the Republic of Indonesia Soekarno or Bung Karno had a vision of building a maritime compartment.

"The Maritime Compartment consists of the Department of Sea Transportation, the Department of Fisheries and Marine Processing, and the Department of Maritime Industry. In addition, Bung Karno in 1962 also initiated the establishment of the Oceanographic Institute in Ambon as the largest oceanographic center in Southeast Asia," he said.

Bung Karno, continued Megawati, also intends to build a strategic corridor by placing the eastern part of Indonesia as the center of the Indonesian Navy's strength, Kalimantan as the power center of the Indonesian Air Force and Java as the center of strength of the Army.

"This was done because it makes it easier from the field side for military exercises," explained Megawati.

Megawati also spoke about the strategic role of the Navy. Thus, the spirit of 'in the ocean we win' or jalesveva jayamahe must continue to be socialized. Moreover, Indonesia is a maritime country.

"This soul is what incised the greatness of the history of the archipelago. Sriwijaya, Singasari, Majapahit, Samudera Pasai, and the various greatnesses of maritime kingdoms in Sulawesi, Maluku, and others have become evidence of how great the history of the maritime civilization of the archipelago is," he concluded.