On the 24th, Indonesian Finance Minister Purba Yadi clarified at a press conference that Indonesia will abide by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and will not charge ships passing through the Strait of Malacca.
Two days ago, Purba Yadi said Indonesia was exploring charging ships passing through the waterway, which sparked controversy. At a seminar held in Jakarta on the 22nd, he said: “Indonesia is not a marginal country. We are located on an important global trade and energy route, but ships passing through the Strait of Malacca are not being charged.”
At that time, he stated that Indonesia could refer to the model of Iran charging passage fees to ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
In any case, on the 23rd, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told the media that Indonesia would not charge ships passing through the Strait of Malacca, as such practice is not in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Retno emphasized that the prerequisite for the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to acknowledge Indonesia as an archipelagic state is that Indonesia must not impose passage fees on straits within its territorial waters.
The Strait of Malacca is an important maritime passage connecting the Pacific and Indian Oceans and linking Asia, Europe, and Africa, known as the “crossroads of the sea.” According to data from Malaysian maritime authorities, more than 102,500 ships will pass through the Strait of Malacca in 2025.