The speculation, amplified by international media, hinted at a\ndramatic shift in global trade norms. The Malacca Strait\u2014linking the\nIndian Ocean to the South China Sea\u2014handles a significant share of the\nworld\u2019s maritime commerce.<\/p>\n
Then came a clear answer from Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa firmly dismissed the idea,\nsaying Indonesia has no plans to impose taxes or transit fees on foreign\nvessels passing through the strait.<\/p>\n
The statement was aimed at quelling reports that he had floated the\nproposal, which drew attention not only domestically but also from\nneighboring countries and global observers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was not in a serious context. We have never planned to collect\nsuch a tax,\u201d Purbaya told reporters in Jakarta on Friday, putting an end\nto days of uncertainty.<\/p>\n
Behind his response lies a deeper legal framework that governs the\nworld\u2019s oceans.<\/p>\n
Purbaya pointed to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the\nSea, or UNCLOS, a cornerstone of international maritime law that\nenshrines the principle of freedom of navigation.<\/p>\n
His familiarity with the convention is not merely theoretical.\nBetween May 2018 and September 2020, Purbaya oversaw maritime\nsovereignty and energy coordination in a senior government role.<\/p>\n
That experience, he said, underscores Indonesia\u2019s commitment to\nupholding international law in its waters, including the Malacca Strait,\nwhich is recognized as an international shipping lane.<\/p>\n
At the heart of UNCLOS is a simple but powerful rule: ships must be\nallowed to pass.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn terms of freedom of navigation, we are required to allow vessels\nthrough our exclusive economic zone and ensure their security,\u201d Purbaya\nsaid, referring to Indonesia\u2019s maritime obligations.<\/p>\n
He reiterated that Indonesia, having ratified UNCLOS, has no\nintention of breaching the agreement or undermining its principles.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will uphold the law we have signed,\u201d he said, emphasizing\ncontinuity over disruption.<\/p>\n
The clarification comes after lawmakers and regional stakeholders\nraised concerns about the potential fallout of such a policy.<\/p>\n
Malacca Strait not Suez canal<\/p>\n
TB Hasanuddin, a member of the House of Representatives\u2019 defense\ncommission, warned earlier that the Malacca Strait cannot be compared to\nthe Suez or Panama canals.<\/p>\n
Unlike those man-made waterways, he noted, the Malacca Strait is a\nnatural passage that has long served as an open route for international\nnavigation.<\/p>\n
Charging tolls in such waters, he argued, could ignite diplomatic\ntensions and damage Indonesia\u2019s standing on the global stage.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe impact would go beyond reputation. It could trigger\ninternational backlash, even boycotts, for violating established\nmaritime law,\u201d Hasanuddin said.<\/p>\n
Legal provisions reinforce that concern.<\/p>\n
Under Article 38 of UNCLOS, vessels enjoy the right of transit\npassage through straits used for international navigation, without\nobstruction or interference from bordering states.<\/p>\n
Article 44 further obliges coastal nations not to hamper or delay\ntransit, ensuring the uninterrupted flow of global shipping.<\/p>\n
These rules are not merely technicalities\u2014they are the backbone of\nmodern trade.<\/p>\n
Any attempt to impose tariffs, analysts say, risks clashing with\nthose principles and unsettling a fragile global economy already\nstrained by geopolitical tensions.<\/p>\n
Foreign Minister Sugiono echoed that stance, stating earlier that\nIndonesia would not impose tariffs in the Malacca Strait under any\ncircumstances.<\/p>\n
He emphasized that Indonesia respects UNCLOS, which recognizes the\ncountry as an archipelagic state while requiring it to keep its straits\nopen to international navigation.<\/p>\n
The Malacca Strait, governed by Articles 37, 38, and 39 of the\nconvention, remains a lawful corridor for global shipping.<\/p>\n
Sugiono said Indonesia supports free and secure maritime passage,\naiming to maintain smooth and mutually beneficial sea traffic.<\/p>\n
The government\u2019s reassurances have been welcomed by foreign policy\nobservers.<\/p>\n
Praising government\u2019s clarification<\/p>\n
Dino Patti Djalal, founder of the Foreign Policy Community of\nIndonesia, praised the clarification, calling it critical for preserving\nIndonesia\u2019s credibility.<\/p>\n
\u201cI appreciate the rejection of the idea to tax vessels in the Malacca\nStrait,\u201d he said in a post on social media platform X.<\/p>\n
Had such a policy been pursued, he warned, it could have severely\ndamaged Indonesia\u2019s international image and its role as a key architect\nof UNCLOS.<\/p>\n
The timing, too, would have been problematic.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is preparing for a major ASEAN summit in Cebu, Philippines,\nin May, where President Prabowo Subianto is expected to attend alongside\nregional leaders.<\/p>\n
A controversial maritime policy could have overshadowed the\ngathering, inviting protests from neighboring countries and complicating\ndiplomatic relations.<\/p>\n
Beyond diplomacy, the economic stakes are immense.<\/p>\n
The global shipping system remains vulnerable, with supply chains\nstill adjusting to disruptions caused by conflicts, including those in\nthe Middle East.<\/p>\n
Any additional friction in a critical artery like the Malacca Strait\ncould ripple across energy markets, manufacturing hubs, and consumer\nprices worldwide.<\/p>\n
Dino underscored Indonesia\u2019s reliance on UNCLOS as a legal foundation\nfor its territorial integrity.<\/p>\n
The convention legitimizes the country\u2019s archipelagic doctrine,\ngranting sovereignty over waters that were once considered international\nseas.<\/p>\n
Undermining that framework, he suggested, would be a strategic\nmisstep.<\/p>\n
He also urged government officials to exercise caution in public\ncommunication, particularly on sensitive issues with global\nimplications.<\/p>\n
Policy ideas, he said, should be carefully coordinated across\nministries and cleared at the highest levels before being aired\npublicly.<\/p>\n
For now, Indonesia\u2019s message is unambiguous.<\/p>\n
There will be no toll booths in the Malacca Strait\u2014only the continued\nflow of ships through one of the world\u2019s most vital maritime\ncorridors.<\/p>\n
Related news: Indonesia Bakamla stops Malacca Strait disruption by\nforeign ship<\/p>\n
Related news: I<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-rejects-malacca-strait-tolls-amid-global-tensions-1777045994", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }