1(a) JAKARTA: Indonesia Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa on Wednesday (Apr 22) floated the idea of imposing a levy on ships passing through the Malacca Strait, as part of a push to maximise the country’s strategic position along global trade and energy routes.
Local media cited Mr Purbaya as saying that the proposal aligns with President Prabowo Subianto’s directive that Indonesia should no longer see itself as a “peripheral nation”, but one that is a “key player” on the global economic stage.
“As the president has instructed, Indonesia is not a peripheral country. We sit on a strategic global trade and energy route, yet ships pass through the Malacca Strait without being charged - I’m not sure whether that’s right or wrong,” Mr Purbaya said at a symposium in Jakarta, as quoted by Detik....
Mr Purbaya said the idea to impose a levy was inspired by Iran’s plan to charge ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The strait, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean, handles about a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil trade....
www.channelnewsasia.com
1(b) ...Iran’s toll proposal did not emerge from a peacetime revenue strategy. It arose amid an active international armed conflict between the US, Israel and Iran. For Indonesia to look at that scenario and see a revenue opportunity is fundamentally flawed. Following Iran’s wartime example would introduce the instability that makes the Malacca Strait economically valuable. Even setting aside legality, the proposal is unworkable without Malaysia and Singapore, and both have already said no....
www.lowyinstitute.org
1(c) .....Dr Graham (from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute) said the "worrying aspect" was that Indonesia was willing to toy with the idea of monetising its geographical position despite the fact it "owes its territorial integrity" to UNCLOS.
"It shows instability in one region can spread to another, even just by precedent. Bad behaviour can be copied," he said....
www.abc.net.au
1(d) ...."Make no mistake, the United States will fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows, as we do around the world, and the South China Sea will not be an exception," Carter (ex-US Defense Secretary in 2015) told a joint news conference after ministerial talks with US ally Australia in Boston....
economictimes.indiatimes.com
1(e) ...."American ships, both military and commercial, should be allowed to travel, free of charge, through the Panama and Suez Canals," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Saturday....
www.trtworld.com
1(f) ....Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate's top Democrat, criticized Trump's comments.
"Happy Easter, America. As you head off to church and celebrate with friends and family, the President of the United States is ranting like an unhinged madman on social media," Schumer wrote in a social media post....
abcnews.com
1(g) Jakarta – Indonesia's president, under fire at home for signing up to U.S. counterpart Donald Trump's so-called "Board of Peace," has insisted his country would not pay the $1 billion joining fee for permanent membership.....
www.japantimes.co.jp
2. Poster's Comment:
The Indonesian finance minister and his boss should visit Iran and the Palestinian territories of Gaza and West Bank to observe the holocaust inflicted by Israel and its American master. It is shocking and unbelievable to find human miseries and tragedies on such a gigantic scale could have ever "inspired" anyone else. It shows that both men are out of touch with reality.
With the continued harassment of the Dutch East India Company's merchant ships by pirates in the East Indies, the Netherlands took steps to colonize the Indonesian archipelago in the early 17th century. With such historical lessons of Western colonization in mind, Indonesia should be contented and happy with its current level of economic progress, stability and peace in Southeast Asia instead of unnecessarily provoking the wrath and fury of the American Empire by toying with the idea of monetising the Malacca Strait.
Are both men expecting Mr Nice Guy or the unhinged madman would submit to their demand willingly by filling up the Indonesian government's coffers? Instead, Indonesia could bring upon itself similar scales of destruction and atrocities that are being inflicted on the Islamic lands of the Middle East.
Using an analogy, when you pass by a cemetery at night, hurry away as fast as you can. Don't stop to pee on the tombstone of the most wanted bandit and another of the most notorious pirate, otherwise you could invite into your home the most evil demons which you would find very hard to exorcise!
Additional Reference:
en.wikipedia.org
Local media cited Mr Purbaya as saying that the proposal aligns with President Prabowo Subianto’s directive that Indonesia should no longer see itself as a “peripheral nation”, but one that is a “key player” on the global economic stage.
“As the president has instructed, Indonesia is not a peripheral country. We sit on a strategic global trade and energy route, yet ships pass through the Malacca Strait without being charged - I’m not sure whether that’s right or wrong,” Mr Purbaya said at a symposium in Jakarta, as quoted by Detik....
Mr Purbaya said the idea to impose a levy was inspired by Iran’s plan to charge ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The strait, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean, handles about a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil trade....
Indonesia’s finance minister suggests imposing levy on ships transiting Malacca Strait
Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said the idea to impose a levy was inspired by Iran’s plan to charge ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Singapore and Malaysia have however said that there must be freedom of navigation through the Strait of Malacca.
1(b) ...Iran’s toll proposal did not emerge from a peacetime revenue strategy. It arose amid an active international armed conflict between the US, Israel and Iran. For Indonesia to look at that scenario and see a revenue opportunity is fundamentally flawed. Following Iran’s wartime example would introduce the instability that makes the Malacca Strait economically valuable. Even setting aside legality, the proposal is unworkable without Malaysia and Singapore, and both have already said no....
A toll on Malacca Strait puts Indonesia’s own legal foundations at risk | Lowy Institute
A levy on Malacca transit would be illegal under UNCLOS – the same treaty that confirmed Indonesia’s archipelagic statehood.
www.lowyinstitute.org
1(c) .....Dr Graham (from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute) said the "worrying aspect" was that Indonesia was willing to toy with the idea of monetising its geographical position despite the fact it "owes its territorial integrity" to UNCLOS.
"It shows instability in one region can spread to another, even just by precedent. Bad behaviour can be copied," he said....
Indonesian minister suggests tax on another key shipping route
The suggestion of levying ships using the Strait of Malacca was suggested and then walked back by Indonesia's finance minister, but has prompted a response from Canberra.
www.abc.net.au
1(d) ...."Make no mistake, the United States will fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows, as we do around the world, and the South China Sea will not be an exception," Carter (ex-US Defense Secretary in 2015) told a joint news conference after ministerial talks with US ally Australia in Boston....
US will sail, fly and operate wherever international law allows: Ash Carter
"Make no mistake, the United States will fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows, as we do around the world, and the South China Sea will not be an exception," Carter said.
1(e) ...."American ships, both military and commercial, should be allowed to travel, free of charge, through the Panama and Suez Canals," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Saturday....
TRT World - Trump wants US ships to travel free in Panama, Suez canals
The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through Panama, while the Suez Canal in Egypt links the Mediterranean and Red seas, providing the shortest maritime routes.
www.trtworld.com
1(f) ....Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate's top Democrat, criticized Trump's comments.
"Happy Easter, America. As you head off to church and celebrate with friends and family, the President of the United States is ranting like an unhinged madman on social media," Schumer wrote in a social media post....
Many congressional Democrats call Trump's threats to blow up Iran 'unhinged'
The president issued a profanity-laden threat to Iran over the weekend.
1(g) Jakarta – Indonesia's president, under fire at home for signing up to U.S. counterpart Donald Trump's so-called "Board of Peace," has insisted his country would not pay the $1 billion joining fee for permanent membership.....
Indonesia says no to $1 billion fee for Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ seat
Jakarta had only committed peacekeeping troops for the initiative, the country's president said.
2. Poster's Comment:
The Indonesian finance minister and his boss should visit Iran and the Palestinian territories of Gaza and West Bank to observe the holocaust inflicted by Israel and its American master. It is shocking and unbelievable to find human miseries and tragedies on such a gigantic scale could have ever "inspired" anyone else. It shows that both men are out of touch with reality.
With the continued harassment of the Dutch East India Company's merchant ships by pirates in the East Indies, the Netherlands took steps to colonize the Indonesian archipelago in the early 17th century. With such historical lessons of Western colonization in mind, Indonesia should be contented and happy with its current level of economic progress, stability and peace in Southeast Asia instead of unnecessarily provoking the wrath and fury of the American Empire by toying with the idea of monetising the Malacca Strait.
Are both men expecting Mr Nice Guy or the unhinged madman would submit to their demand willingly by filling up the Indonesian government's coffers? Instead, Indonesia could bring upon itself similar scales of destruction and atrocities that are being inflicted on the Islamic lands of the Middle East.
Using an analogy, when you pass by a cemetery at night, hurry away as fast as you can. Don't stop to pee on the tombstone of the most wanted bandit and another of the most notorious pirate, otherwise you could invite into your home the most evil demons which you would find very hard to exorcise!
Additional Reference:
Indonesian Finance Minister Raises Possibility of Imposing Toll on Strait of Malacca
Whether or not it was serious, Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa’s suggestion is a sign of how far the norm of freedom of peaceful navigation has been eroded by the Iran war.
thediplomat.com
Dutch East Indies - Wikipedia
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