October 28, 1928, the Youth Pledge declared the nationhood of Indonesia is land and water, demonstrates that Indonesia is a nation who is aware of its identity as both land and sea nation, a nation of farmers and sailors, and a nation who conquers the mountains and oceans. The fouding fathers fully realized that waters, straits, and seas in between the archipelago are an inseperable unison. Waters, straits, and seas unified Indonesia’s thousands of islands - not separating them.
With an extensive area of waters exceeding its lands, and its strategic crossing location, it is only natural for Indonesia to have a fundamental interest of controlling and utilizing its sea, to have a strong idenfity and maritime culture as well as to use its strategic location for the benefit of its people and to create security wthin its region in accordance with its constitutional mandate to “protect the entiry of nation and all of the people of Indonesia, to improve public welfare, to educate the life of the people and to participate in the establishment of a world order based on freeding, perpetual peace and social justice”.
Sriwijaya’s power followed by Majapahit Kingdom in controlling the strait of Malacca ant its success in creating equal relations with Chola Nalanda of India and Tang Dinasty of China and also the victory of Sultan Fatahillah in removing the Portuguese forces out of Sunda Kelapa Ba are clear evidence that Indonesia also has a strong maritime strategy culture.
After the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence on 17th August 1945, the unity of land and water of Indonesia became stronger as Indonesia, with diplomacy and without firing any single bullet, managed to change high seas separating her islands into waters under Indonesia’s sovereignty, in wich the implementation of its right and obligations are guaranteed under international law of the sea 182. The Convention was ratified by Indonesia into its national law. Sovereignty over the archipelagic waters was finally secured after refutation from countries against
International recognition towards Indonesia as an archipelagic state has raised the strategic value of geographic aspect of the Republic of Indonesia. Indonesia’s strategic position is not only seen as an intersection of two continents, Asia and Australia, and two oceans, the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean, but also a location between the South China Sea and East Asia Sea and the Indian Ocean, between the liberal individualism in the South and communism in the North, between the commodity produces in the South and the commodity consumer in the North, between the non-nuclear power in the South and the Nuclear power in the North. Indonesia’s strategic position, along with geographical factors and socio-economic condition, has also put Indonesia in an important position in the global environment, namely in influencing political and economic stability and also influencing regional and international security.
With the abundant marine resources and strong maritime culture, the spirit to revitalize Indonesia’s maritime era is not impossible.
The GMF development includes (1) building Indonesian maritime culture; (2) maintain the sea pace and marine resources, with a focus on building seafood sovereignty through the development of the fishing industry by placing fishers as the main pillar; (3) giving priority to infrastructure development and maritime connectivity, by building sea highways, deep sea ports, logistics and shipping industries, and marine tourism; (4) strengthening maritime diplomacy, cooperation in maritime affairs, eliminating sources of conflict in the sea such as illegal fishing, violations of sovereignty, territorial disputes, piracy, and marine pollution; and (5) building maritime force of defense to safeguard maritime sovereignty and wealth as well as the form of responsibility in maintaining maritime safety and security to build maritime defense forces.
The GMF can be realized if there are precise, effective and competitive policies and programs. These programs of maritime development are widespread within various Miniterial and Non-Ministerial government istitutions. Therefore, the national document of the Indonesian Ocean Policy is important to synergize and harmonize all ocean-based development programs to be more focused and targeted so that results can be measured.
Indonesia’s nature in itself has astrategic value for the Earth. Indonesia is accountable for the second largest tropical forest in the world, around 2% of world’s coral reefs, around 20% of the world’s mangrove forests, around three million hectares of seagrass meadows, and a throughflow location of great current from the Pacific and Indian Oceans. These render Indonesian seas as a rich source of foor for the sea life.
The national Document of the Indonesian Ocean Policy will serve as guideline for Ministerial and Non-Ministerial government institutions and local government in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating the development in maritime aspect, and alse as a reference for socuity in general and private scctors in participating in the maritime development for the realization of the GMF. The national Document of the Indonesian Ocean Policy is an instrument synergizing all steps and movements of all stakeholders in achieving Indonesia’s aspiration to become GMF.
Indonesian Ocean Policy covers very broad and complex aspects interconnected one to each other. There are many actors involved in the implementation of marine and maritime programs. The development of marine and maritime programs needs to be implemented holistically, integratively, thematically, and synergistically towards the realization of Indonesia as the World Maritime Fulcrum. In accordance with the Global Mritime Fulcrum, Indonesia’s Maritime Policy consists of 7 pillars of policy, principles, and 77 strategic programs. The road map compiled based on Presidential Regulation number 16 of 2017 concerning Indonesian Maritime Policy carries the target as a mission, one of which is “reviving maritime identity, and maritime culture”.
Indonesian Ocean Policy is established with reference to the Indonesian Development Vision as contained in Law Number 17 of 2007 on the Long-term National Development Plan 2005-2025 and Law Number 32 of 2014. In order to implement such vision, it is important to set the aim as the mission of Indonesian Ocean Policy, including sustainable management of marine resource and ocean governance, maritime safety and security development, maritime industrial growth enhancement, maritime culture empowerment and human resources development.
The realization of Indonesian vision and mission should be in accordance with the national interest, as well as just and optimum utilization of the welfare of Indonesian people. Indonesian Ocean Policy is based on six basic principles, wich are (1) wawasan nusantara; (2) sustainable development; (3) blue economy; (4) integrated and transparent management; (5) participation; and (6) equality and equitability.
Sustainable Development is an approach to ensure the development of various economic activities must able to fulfil the needs od present and future generation. Therefore, the economic development must be implemented based on sustainable principle thus (1) the exploitation of resources must not exceed the regeneration ability of the renewable natural resources or the place of innovaton of substitution of the nonrenewable resources, as well as the utilization on non-renewable resources would not cause damage to the renewable resources; (2) the current exploitation of resources may not forfeit (the quality and quantity) the needs of future generation; and (3) the exploitation of resources, which the impact has not been recognized, must be conducted diligently and supported by reliable scientific research. Sustainable development principle is also governed in Law Number 32 of 2009 on the Environtmental Protection and Management.
The Blue economy is a model for economic development which integrates land and ocean-based development while taking into account the carrying capacity of the resources and environment. In principle, the resources of land, sea, and air should be synergized to become Indonesia’s strength.
Integrated management is conducted in a multi-diciplinary, interregional, inter-sectoral and cros-sector manner. Integrated, in the sense that all aspects of the management shoud be unified under one system instead of treated as separate components. In management system that is integrated, there must be interrelation between one aspect and another to avoid overlapping authority. Such management should also be carried out under the principle of transparency, using clear regulations, being open in its formulation and execution, providing sufficient information which easily understood by the various stakeholders.
The principles of participation is important as every stakeholder is expected to play a role in the planning, implementation, monitoring, and controlling in accordance with each individual role; to possess open information to understand government’s policy and have sufficient access to utilize resources; to ensure the existence of representatives of the sakeholders in decision-making and take part in identifying threats and opportunities; and to utilize the resources equitably.
The basic principle of equitability in Indoneai’s ocean development is to ensure that individuals or groups of individuals are treated fairy, equally, and mutual profitably, regardless of ethnic group, race, religion or belief, and gender while prioritizing Indonesians who live in remote regions or those yet to be well-connected outside of Java, Bali, Lombok, and Sumatera.
Therefore, connectivity between Indonesia’s existing economic centers and other regions, such as
Progress without equitability is not only contrary to the constitution, but is also not in line with the main essence of development, that is, the improvement of quality of human life. Economic inequlity will threaten the sustainability of progress itself and can be even lead to actions which could threaten public security.
There are seven pillars of Indonesian Ocean Policy, namely (1) the management of marine resources and the development of human resources; (2) marine security, law enforcement and safety at sea; (3) ocean governance and institution; (4) economic and infrastructure of marine sectors and prosperity enhancement; (5) management of ocean space and protection of marine environtment; (6) maritime culture; and (7) maritime diplomacy.
The objective of marine resources policy is to optimize the utilization and the exploitation of the marine resources in a sustainable manner through the principle of blue economy. The economic growth in the maritime sectors are materialized through sustainable development which efficient, value-added, inclusive, and innovative; to support all economic activities, consisting of trade of goods, services, and investment for the prosperity of the people.
The objective of the development of human resources policy is to enhace the capacity of human resources in maritime sectors in the most professional, ethic, and dedicated manner and putting national interest in supporting ocean development optimally and comprehensively.