Lemhanas Nilai Pasir Laut Tak Ancam Batas Wilayah RI, Begini Alasannya

Illustration of sea sand mining (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas) assesses that the sea sand export policy, as regulated in Government Regulation (PP) Number 26 of 2023 concerning Management of Marine sedimentation Results, does not threaten Indonesia's territorial boundaries.

Governor of Lemhannas Andi Widjajanto explained that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1982 was quite clear about the boundaries of the sea area.

"We understand that based on the 1982 UNCLOS it is not possible to expand the sea area, because there is a shift in maritime boundaries due to the formation of artificial islands," said Andi Widjajanto, quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, June 14.

Andi explained that PP No. 26 of 2023 is one of the Government's policies to ensure the safety and security of shipping routes as mandated in UNCLOS 1982.

"What I understand from the regulation, most importantly the goal is to overcome the problem of sedimentation in our shipping lanes. That globally, based on UNCLOS 1982, we must be responsible for ensuring the safety and freedom of navigation in ALKI (Indonesian Islands Sealine) I, II, and III; so we must ensure that the depth in the ALKI is in accordance with global standards," he explained.

Therefore, continued Andi, dredging sedimentation at sea is indeed necessary if it has exceeded the safety and security standards of shipping lanes.

Then, according to him, sea sand as a result of sedimentation dredging also has economic potential that must be utilized and has been regulated in PP Number 26 of 2023.

"Kita kemudian bisa punya side product berupa sand laut yang bisa digunakan paling utama untuk kebutuhan dalam negeri dan dalam aturan tersebut, (pasir laut) baru boleh dipeksor kalau memang kebutuhan dalam negeri sudah tersukupi," kata Andi.

Previously, President Joko Widodo emphasized that PP No. 26 of 2023 had actually regulated the issue of sedimentation in the sea which could disrupt coral reef shipping and ecosystems.

"What is in the PP is sediment sand, yes, sediment sand that interferes with shipping, which also disturbs coral reefs," said Jokowi while giving directions at the 2023 Government Internal Supervision National Coordination Meeting (Rakornas) in Jakarta, Wednesday.