DPD RI: Archipelagic Regions Bill Ensures Continuity of National Development Direction
The Draft Law on Archipelagic Regions (RUU Daerah Kepulauan) is considered a crucial foundation to ensure that Indonesia’s development direction aligns with its character as an archipelagic state. Through this regulation, development will no longer be viewed solely from a land-based perspective but will also consider the geographical, social, economic, and maritime characteristics that are Indonesia’s main strengths.
Deputy Speaker of the DPD RI, GKR Hemas, stated that Indonesia has been recognised as an archipelagic state under Article 25A of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which was ratified through Law Number 17 of 1985.
“As an archipelagic state, Indonesia requires development policies that reflect this identity. Recognition as an archipelagic state must not stop as a constitutional or geographical concept, but must become the basis for formulating national development policies,” she said in a written statement on Saturday (25/7/2026).
The DPD RI conveyed that the Archipelagic Regions Bill is a strategic step to ensure continuity in the national development direction. The regulation is expected to serve as a cross-sectoral reference in formulating development policies so that ministries, agencies, and regional governments share the same perspective in developing archipelagic regions.
According to her, the Archipelagic Regions Bill not only regulates regions but also introduces a new paradigm in national development.
“The Archipelagic Regions Bill does not only regulate regions, but also builds a new development paradigm in formulating national policies. Thus, development will no longer run sectorally, but will be interconnected to achieve equity and public welfare across all archipelagic regions,” she said.
In agreement, Deputy Chair of the DPD RI Working Team for the Archipelagic Regions Bill, R. Graal Taliawo, stated that the bill is a momentum to strengthen the synchronisation of various policies that have so far been scattered across several laws and regulations.
He explained that various policies governing maritime affairs and regional governance already exist but have not been fully integrated into a single framework for archipelagic regional development.
“The Archipelagic Regions Bill is presented to unify various policies that have been running independently. Through a more comprehensive legal framework, the development of archipelagic regions can be designed in a more directed, measurable, and sustainable manner,” he explained.
He elaborated that the development of archipelagic regions requires an approach that positions the sea as a living space, an economic space, and a space for inter-regional connectivity.
Therefore, development policies need to integrate various aspects, ranging from public services, strengthening local economies, and environmental protection, to increasing the competitiveness of archipelagic regions.
“When the sea is viewed as a connecting space, development policies must also be formulated with an inter-island connectivity perspective. This is the perspective that the Archipelagic Regions Bill seeks to strengthen so that development truly reaches all parts of Indonesia,” he concluded.
The DPD RI hopes that the deliberation of the Archipelagic Regions Bill can be completed soon together with the DPR RI and the government. This will provide Indonesia with a comprehensive legal foundation to realise equitable development for all archipelagic regions.
The existence of this bill is expected to become a milestone in strengthening Indonesia’s vision as a sovereign, advanced, and prosperous archipelagic state.