Jakarta – Indonesia will not impose a levy on vessels transiting the Strait of Malacca, as doing so would contravene international law, Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono said Thursday.
According to Antara News Agency, Sugiono made the statement during a brief interview in Jakarta on Thursday in response to journalists’ questions about whether Indonesia would introduce tariffs for vessels passing through the strait.
Sugiono emphasized that Indonesia respects international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). He said UNCLOS recognizes Indonesia as an archipelagic state on the condition that it does not impose tariffs on straits within its territory.\
He also stressed that Indonesia supports freedom of navigation and expects maritime traffic to remain smooth, open, and mutually beneficial.
“We also hope for free passage, and I believe this is a shared commitment among many countries to create a shipping lane that is open, neutral, and mutually supportive,” Sugiono said.
“So, no. Indonesia is not in a position to impose such tariffs in the Malacca Strait,” he affirmed.
Earlier, Finance Minister Purbaya Sadewa had mentioned the possibility of imposing tariffs on ships passing through the strait.
