The Impact Indonesia’s Sinking of Illegal Fishing Ships on Major Southeast Asia Countries

Abstract

This study examines Indonesia’s sinking of illegal fishing ships influencing its relationship with countries in Southeast Asia region. Considering that the loss of and damages to national resources due to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in Indonesia are so huge, President Joko Widodo has a commitment to no longer tolerate such a crime. The approach of his Minister of Maritime and Fishing Affairs has been to sink IUU Fishing ships which mostly flagged foreign flags. As a result, Indonesia’s relation with neighboring countries is affected. However, the assertive policy of Indonesia did not lead to a commotion among the states in the region. Hence, this study attempts to discover why Indonesia does not find significant obstacles to continuously carry out sinking foreign IUU fishing ships from its counterparts in Southeast Asia region namely Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Statements of the statesmen around the countries and other related documents on the matter are used to examine their response to the Indonesia’s policy. In line with the method, this study capitalizes neoclassical realism by Gideon Rose in which foreign policies are considered a reflection of systemic pressure, domestic political demands (innenpolitik), and state power.