ABSTRACT

On 5 Jul 14, Joko Widodo, as presidential candidate has expressed his idea on
“Indonesia’s visionary position on world maritime axis and hub for regional
maritime”. His statement signaled country’s powerful bargaining position as world
largest archipelago with its Sea Lanes of Communications strategic possesses led to
many countries compete to dominate the maritime route around Asia Pacific. There are
three domestic factors that were responsible to encouraged President Jokowi to initiate
this new maritime policy. First, the goal to develop Indonesia as regional power,
second, the role of President Jokowi’s advisors. And third is the continuity in the
policy directions of his predecessor, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY). The external
factors that influenced President Jokowi is to safeguarding the vulnerability of its
sovereignty and territorial integrity by the territorial disputes in the South China Sea
(SCS). Second factor is on the war of illegal fishing activities in Indonesian water.
And lastly, the need for the country to boost its military maritime capabilities in order
to confront the above challenges which is on sovereignty and the SCS and illegal
fishing in its water. President Jokowi’s idea of Indonesia’s Global Maritime Nexus
(GMN) is a clear signal for others, which this country would back up into a national
maritime power with concentrated economic growth, as diplomatic bargaining power,
and political military strategy on the territorial dispute management acquisition, and
control of maritime border areas. Thus, through this qualitative research, the writer is
determined to elaborate why Indonesia is interested to become a GMN? And what are
the implications of this policy especially to the ASEAN neighbors. The findings in this
research have shed better light in understanding the factors for the new maritime
policy and consequently its consequences to Indonesia security. However, it is believe
that Jakarta aggressive approach would not give impact on ASEAN unity as the
actions now had slow down.

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