KKP Ready To Guard Investment To Ecosystem Protection On International Important Paths

Marine (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 29 of 2023 concerning the Plan for the Zone of the Flores Sea Inter-regional Area and Presidential Regulation Number 30 of 2023 concerning the Plan for the Inter-region Area of the Malacca Strait, was officially promulgated on June 6, 2023.

It is believed that the stipulation of laws and regulations will bring in investment in marine spaces, shipping safety, guarantee state sovereignty, as well as protection for ecosystem health.

Responding to this, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KPP) is certainly ready to oversee the use of marine space in the Flores Sea and Malacca Strait areas.

Given, the strategic geo position of the Malacca Strait as a busy shipping traffic route in Southeast Asia and the Flores Sea as one of the world-class super priority destinations.

"The potential of these resources and strategic values needs to be managed properly and the preparation of zoning plans is a good and sustainable resource management effort," said Director General of Marine Affairs and Marine Spatial Management of KKP Victor G. Manoppo at the Bincang Bahari event at the KKP Building, Jakarta, Tuesday, August 1.

The regulation, which was issued on June 6, became a reference for the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (Sakti Wahyu Trenggono) in issuing the Compliance of Sea Space Utilization Activities (KKPRL) which is a basic requirement for a party to carry out residential activities in the sea space.

"The preparation (of the regulation) itself is a mandate of Law Number 32 of 2014 concerning Maritime Affairs, where the government must determine as many as 20 locations of inter-regional areas including sea, strait, and cross-provincial bays.

On the same occasion, the Special Assistant to the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KP) for Media and Public Communication, Doni Ismanto, said that the determination of laws and regulations in the Malacca Strait and Flores Sea would support the implementation of KKP's blue economy programs.

With these arrangements, the use of marine space not only stimulates investment, but also ensures ecosystem sustainability.

"The minister has emphasized that the management of the sea space must make the ecology as a commander. For this reason, the preparation continues to be accelerated by the technical team, so that the mandate of 20 can be completed," said Doni.

"But the most important thing is that with the issuance of this rule, our management of marine space will become more regular and directed," he added.

On the other hand, the presence of Presidential Decree 29/2023 and Presidential Decree 30/23 also makes business actors have legal certainty in planning and operating in the sea space. With this guarantee, business actors are more daring to spend investment to increase business capacity.

"This is a guarantee for us to carry out planning and operate there. Overallly, especially in the upstream oil and gas industry, the area for oil and gas exploration has been determined, it is very clear, facilitating our planning and licensing which is thick with environmental safety and protection," said GHG & ESG Manager Premier Oil Andaman Ltd, Otte Sulistyo M who attended online at the event.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chairperson of Legal and Regulatory Affairs of the Indonesian Sea Cable Communication Systems Association (ASKALSI) Benny Herlambang said, Indonesia has a great opportunity as an alternative route for deploying submarine cables to Australia, Japan, and America.

"So, the issuance of these two rules is very important for us in determining the deployment of sea cables in the future," he said.

As for 2022, the KKP has initiated the birth of six similar regulations to regulate plans for inter-regional zoning in the Java Sea, Sulawesi Sea, Tomini Bay, Bone Bay, Maluku Sea, North Natuna-Natuna Sea, and Makassar Strait.