Introduction
The world is no
longer needs land as the sources of live. Now we are seeking the resources
outside the land, and we turn in to the sea. Sea contains so many natural
resources that will fulfill the needs of the people around the world. There are
so many natural resources in the sea such as the oil and gas, fishery, and many
more.
Geo-economic is
the study of spatial, cultural, and strategic aspects of resources, with the
aim of gaining a sustainable competitive advantage. It is a continuation of the
logic of geopolitics, applied to the era of globalization. Consequently the
study is the most relevant in the context of larger strategic entities, such as
nations and multinational enterprises, which constantly face global competitive
issues. Geo-economics is an alternative multidisciplinary direction for the
study of economics. [1]
Geo-economics is
not mainly concerned of political and military but with the economic
activities. The economic things are in the top priority of one nation. Without
the secure economic condition, states would not be able to run the state live.
How the cycle of the economic thing run when the economics of the states is
broken?
In this paper
the writer will elaborate more about the Indonesian perspective in the
Geo-economic and Blue Economy, because the future of Indonesia supposes to be
back to the sea. When we remember that the huge number of resources in our sea
within the territory of Indonesia. Indonesia will metamorphic to a rich country
when Indonesia is soon initiating the blue economy and the concept of
geo-economy.
Imagine if
Indonesia develops all the resources within the sea it would be also change the
paradigm. The paradigm of Indonesian people that at the first time is very
land-based paradigm, it would be changed into the sea. The people will aware of
the resources in the sea, and it also it will change the government mental, to
build a good infrastructure to assist the people mobility from the ship for the
fisherman, building the dock, and many more. It also will paralyze the
government to build a new road, to bring the haul to the nearest market. Not
only the road or another infrastructure, but also the government will think
about how to secure the natural resources within the Indonesian sea or the
territory.
The government
will also strengthen the military sector in order to secure the territory,
especially in the sea part, because Indonesia is an archipelagic state and it
has so many islands, sea that must be protected. It is a must territory to be
protected, because if we don’t do that, our natural resources within the sea
will be stolen by the thief. The thieves that we cannot case, we cannot capture
because they have better ships meanwhile we do have old ships. This is the
phenomenon that we face, and it should be changed. We cannot let it just like
this.
This concept is
very suitable for Indonesia. Land-based economic is also suitable for Indonesia
because we remember that so many Indonesian are the farmers. But if we take a
look the condition of our fields nowadays is very pathetic. Thousand acre of
paddy field are turned into property industrial, in other words it changed into
the houses, apartments, malls and many other things that related to the
property business.
Indonesia in Geo-Economy and Blue Economy
Geo-economic is
a continuation of the Geopolitics. Many expertises believed that how to solve
the economic problem in Indonesia is through the Geo-economy. Geo-economy is
how to solve the economic problem with seeing the potential that the state has
from the eyes of the geographic condition. Indonesia is surrounded by the sea.
It would be better if Indonesia as soon as possible to initiated the
Geo-economy.
As an
archipelagic state with 17.499 islands and the coastal line the long 104.000
kilometer or the longest number 2 in the world, the potential of the sea is
very big. It’s predicted the economic potential in the sea which related to the
natural resources and the maritime service, the value will reach US$ 1,2
trillion per years. The growth of the sea-based economic is very positive. The
statistic data, in the 2013 economic sector in marine and the fishery grew up
7% rather than the growth of national economic which just 5,81%. “Now and in
the future marine sector and fishery have a strategic role in strengthening the
food resilience and keep pushing the Indonesian economic growth. It was proved
since the industrialization of fishery had been initiated by the Indonesian
Ministry of Marine and Fishery on 2011 the productivity was always raised” said
Indonesian Minister of Marine and Fishery Mr. Sharif C Soetardjo.[2]
In his
perspective, the potential of Indonesian marine and fishery is very huge. From
the past, Indonesia was a highway for the international sea transportation
traffic. It bonded the Asia continent, American West Coast, and the European
countries. Indonesian see is the biggest marine
mega biodiversity area with 8500 fish species, and 555 seaweed species, and
950 species of the coral reefs. 3 plate tectonics met in Indonesian sea, they
are Eurasia plate, Indo-Australia plate and Pacific plate, and it is the
condition of the molding of mineral resources, oil and gas in the land or sea.[3] If
Indonesia can develop them well, and we believe that Indonesia would not be
lived in the poor condition, but it turns to rich one.
Blue Economy
The initiating
of the blue economy will strengthen the continuation of management of the
marine potential. Blue economy approach will also push the management of the
natural resources efficiently, through the advance of technology. With the blue
economy approach we can solve our waste management problem, because it is zero
waste. The good impacts are it would also open so many job fields for
Indonesian people and it will turn Indonesia to the wealthy state.
To start the
blue economy it needs the coordination between the stakeholders. And the
support from the government, the private sectors, international and national
bodies, academician, researcher and many more will help us to make the blue
economy in Indonesia become better and better. Blue economic will be just a
concept if there is no coordination between the government and people.
This is what
Indonesia needs, to change the paradigm from the land-based to the marine
based. It must be supported by all aspects in Indonesia. The effects of the
blue economy will come along with the initiation of the blue economy. In the
sector of security, Indonesia doesn’t have to afraid of it would be the
scarcity of food, because we have so many, million ton of fishery, also we have
very large natural resources from gas, oil and mineral. In order to secure that
all what we have that based on constitution number 33 that said land, water and every natural resources
belongs to the state and it will be used for the prosperity of people, the
government will think how to protect the natural resources for our people. And
this is the impacts of the blue economy in the sector of maritime security.
The Impacts
State will
strengthen the sea power in order to protect the border from the trespasser or
the thieves that want to steal the natural resources from Indonesia discreetly.
When the economics of a state growth fast, it will trigger the state to
strengthen the military power in order to maintaining the security within the
territory and also to prevent the threats which come from outside country.
Indonesian Navy
is not very strong when compare to other navy in the South East Asia. Indonesia
is a big archipelagic state but it is not balanced with the strong sea Armed
Forces, which is in this context is Navy. At least we have more than 100 ships
in order to protect our territory. But the fact what do have now? How many
battle ships do we have? How old are they? Those are the questions that always
we asking as the international student, because we considering that it is
important to strengthen our navy.
Indonesia is
still using the brown water navy. However the wide the Indonesian sea needs
more than brown water navy. We need at least green water navy or more advance
the blue water navy. When Indonesia has a good economic growth and it is always
rise or at least constant, the writer strongly believe that Indonesia will
strengthen the naval power. How Indonesia maintain the territory if Indonesia
doesn't have strong naval power?
If the
prediction that Indonesia will strengthen the naval power continually, than the
effect will also not only for Indonesia, but it also will be felt by the
neighboring states. The neighboring states such as Singapore, Malaysia,
Thailand or even Australia, and China will also feel the differences. The
behavior of the navy will change, and Indonesia can be the leader of the Navy
in South East Asia.
The awareness of
geo-economy and initiating the blue economy will bring Indonesia to become the
emerging power in Asia. Strong navy will also make the diplomacy become
stronger. When the diplomacy is strong then the impact is the bargaining
position of Indonesia will also stronger. We will not be presumed as a weak
state. Indonesia will be a strong state. We will know where is our position
when we facing the disputes. For example the South China Sea dispute. We will
deal with them (the disputes sides) and giving them the win-win solutions in
solving the problem.
So many impacts
that will be felt after the awareness of the geo-economy and initiation of blue
economy could bring Indonesia to the top of glory. But it still takes time in
order to reach it. The paradigm of brown water navy supposed we change to green
water navy. It will take at least 15 years to do that. Slow but sure! Even we
move slow, but if we have plan to bring Indonesia to better future and the
coordination between the people and the government become more solid, the
future of Indonesian glory would not be just a dream.
Again if we have
strong naval power, we can also control the sea and we can control the trade.
The trade traffic would also bring us advantages because so many trades will be
passing through in Indonesian water. This would be the busiest traffic sea in
the world. Because our naval is strong, so we don’t have to afraid of the
threats such as the piracy, because the thugs and pirates will have to think
more than twice when they are dealing with Indonesian Navy.
Conclusion
The paradigm of
Indonesian should be changed. How do we change the paradigm that already
planted by years? Our ancestor was a sailor, but over time it changed. It was
not also the wrong role that our ancestor was also a farmer, but we have to see
widely Indonesia not just a pinch of land that we can live just from the land.
We have to seek other sources where we can use them. As a state we cannot stuck
to just do what is already become our habit, this is how we think outside the
habit.
Using the
paradigm of geo-economy that we have to seek other resources in order to
enhance our economic by seeking or see to our geographical advantages.
Indonesia consists of land and more sea, that’s why we have to use the sea as
the main agenda to increasing our economy.
If we already
started the sea-based economic or we can say it as blue economy, we will slowly
take us to our benefit. Indonesia is rich of the natural resources within the
sea, and not only the fishery but also the natural resources. If our economic
is based on the sea, then the paradigm of our people will change. There will be
so many fishermen, the economic condition for the people in the coast will
develop and it will also trigger the government to rebuild the infrastructure.
For example the road, in order to bring the haul to the city, they need the
access of the good road. It also will give impact for the spread of the
citizens. They will not always stay in Java Island, because when they realize
there is another opportunity outside the Java Island, they will move and find
another place to stay. The cycle of economy will run, and Indonesia will get
the benefits which is in other words is lot of revenue or money. The money we
can use for the establishing a school, public health, public transportation and
many more. But the important thing is also for the strengthening the naval
power.
Indonesian naval
power should be given more attention. How Indonesian Navy guard the territory
of Indonesia if the our naval is still weak? The increasing of economic will
also being followed by the strengthening of the military power, and in this
case the naval power would be the main concern of the government of Indonesia.
In order to
avoid the stealing of natural resources and as the preemptive strike if the war
happen the naval power is very useful for those kind of thing. If Indonesia has
the strong navy, then the bargaining position of Indonesia will also increase,
because the function of navy is also as the tool for the diplomacy. Our
diplomacy will be assisted by the navy. But what we have now? Our navy is not
strong, we still using the brown water navy. We have to change the brown water
navy to the green water navy. In order to guard our territory from Sabang until
Marauke, from Rote until Miangas, we must strengthen our naval power. Our navy
is strong and the we will be the strong archipelagic state with good economic
condition and also strong military power.
If we already
secured our economy, any problem that we have within the country will be easily
solved. It will be easy to solve any dispute with prosper people rather than we
negotiate with the poor people, because psychologically the needs of the people
haven’t fulfilled, so it could trigger the dispute between people.
Economic is the
base of everything. When the economic condition is stable, the government can
guarantee the welfare of the people, and then we can establish the order
aspects such as the political, social, education and many more.
This paper shows
us the greatest Indonesian treasure within the water area in Indonesia. This is
just how we initiate the economic which is sea-based economic. The concept of
geo-economic is already there and what we have to do is plan it, and do it.
There is still hope that Indonesia will be strong. Indonesia can lead the
ASEAN, Indonesia can also lead the Asia, as the greatest archipelagic state, we
should move to the blue economic and slowly but sure, we will get all the
benefits from the blue economic.
