Bill on Maritime Affairs

The necessity for a comprehensive legal framework for how Indonesia is to manage its maritime affairs is long overdue, particularly for a country that comprises of more than 17,000 islands. Perhaps the old cliché of 'better later than never' is most applicable in this case.

The Bill on Maritime Affairs is currently being socialized at the Department of Law and Human Rights. It is not expected that the Bill will be submitted to the House of Representatives (DPR) for some time. Nevertheless, the speed with which this Bill goes through the necessary processes to enactment will depend on the will of the government and the DPR in regulating this important aspect of Indonesia's territorial sovereignty and the potential for generating considerable State revenue from the exploitation of maritime resources.