Luhut: Indonesia Has The Second Longest Coastline In The World And Abundant Natural Resources

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. (Photo: Kemenko Marves)

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan asked that the 2020 Nusantara Day be used as a momentum to introduce Indonesia's maritime potential.

This is in accordance with the theme of the 2020 Nusantara Day, namely "Strengthening Maritime Culture for the Improvement of the Digital Age Economy" which is commemorated to regenerate the nation's strength and cohesiveness in order to build the national economy amid a pandemic by optimizing information technology.

"As the largest archipelagic country in the world, which has the second longest coastline in the world, or as long as 108,000 km (after Canada), Indonesia has excellent potential, from a geopolitical, geostrategic and geo-economic point of view. Indonesia is also endowed with rich marine natural resources. abundant, both living natural resources and non-living resources and marine services that have not been exploited optimally, "said Luhut in commemoration of Nusantara Day, quoted from Antara, Sunday, December 13.

Luhut also explained the history of Nusantara Day which began with the Djuanda Declaration on December 13, 1957, which finally changed the conception of an archipelagic state, especially its territorial boundaries.

Previously, the area of Indonesia was still based on the Territoriale Zee en Marietieme Kringen Ordonantie (TZMKO) which stated that Indonesia's territory was only 2,027,087 square km and the territorial boundary of the Indonesian sea was 3 miles from the coastline.

"This situation causes Indonesia to be easily divided, while the 1945 Constitution at that time did not discuss Indonesia's territorial boundaries," said Luhut.

Prime Minister Djuanda Kartawidjaja's Djuanda Declaration was later known as the Archipelago Concept.

Now, the area of Indonesian sovereignty is 8,300,000 square km after the territorial boundary of the Indonesian sea becomes 12 miles from the coastline. Since then, the Indonesian seas have included the sea within and between the Indonesian archipelago, and the Indonesian territory includes both land and waters. The declaration was then ratified by Law no. 4 / PRP / Year 1960 concerning Indonesian Waters.

"The concept of this declaration underlies the struggle of the Indonesian nation internationally to become an archipelagic state regime (Archipelagic Nation Concept)," continued Luhut.

The Archipelago's insight was finally recognized as The Archipelagic Nation Concept through the Third UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in 1982 in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).

In 1999, President Abdurrahman Wahid declared December 13 as Nusantara Day. Nusantara Day was ratified as a national celebration day since the issuance of RI Decree No. 126 of 2001 which was inaugurated by President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Meanwhile, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD who represented the President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo revealed that the commemoration of Nusantara Day has a very important meaning.

"The Indonesian seas between and within the Indonesian archipelago form a unitary territory of the Republic of Indonesia. Through this declaration, Indonesia knits and unites its vast, intact, and sovereign territory. Nusantara Day is an affirmation and reminder that Indonesia is the largest archipelagic country in the world," he said. Mahfud.

In the industrial era 4.0, technology is the basis for human life which affects various aspects of life, including to drive the economy. As an archipelago, the sea must unite the nation.

"The sea must become an ocean of prosperity. The sea must become an ocean of peace. The sea is the future. Our ocean, our future. Our ocean, our legacy," he said.

Therefore, continued Mahfud, Indonesia needs to maximize maritime culture to improve the nation's economy, which includes the potential for marine tourism, fisheries potential, and potential for transportation.

Nusantara Day Celebration

Since the COVID-19 pandemic has not ended, Nusantara Day is celebrated in a hybrid, online and offline manner at the Ancol E-Convention Hall, North Jakarta. This is different from the commemoration of Nusantara Day which is usually carried out in rotation in areas that have maritime and maritime potential

Minister of Communication and Information (Menkominfo) Johnny G. Plate said that even though it is held online, it is hoped that the meaning and essence of the commemoration of Nusantara Day will remain the same, namely to achieve Indonesia's goal of maximizing Indonesia's maritime potential and becoming the World Maritime Axis in 2045.

"Now Indonesia is facing an era of digital transformation. Indonesia must be ready to develop a screen directing the skipper to a sea of unlimited digital exploration without thinking for a moment to step back," said Johnny.

The government through the Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Information, he continued, has attempted to accelerate digital transformation through several policies to support the output of marine potential.

First, the acceleration of internet equality for all wi-fi access in 3,126 health service facilities. Second, accelerate the expansion of the 4G network to 12,548 villages and sub-districts that have not reached 4G coverage. And third, initiating various training assistance programs, such as the UMKM Go Online, the 1000 Digital Startup Movement, the Digital Entrepreneurship Academy, as well as farmers and fishermen going online.