Defense Diplomacy Strategy in Handling Transnational Crimes at the Sea Borders of Indonesia – Malaysia – Filipina

Abstract

Transnational crimes, especially terrorism, were committed by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) on the Indonesian – Malaysian Sea border considered by Indonesia as a threat that can disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Indonesia. Because transnational crimes occur on the borders of three countries, they cannot be handled independently. Therefore, Indonesia together with Malaysia and the Philippines carry out defense diplomacy in the form of a Trilateral Cooperative Agreement (TCA) to deal with transnational crimes in the border area. The purpose of this study is to analyze Indonesia's defense strategy in handling transnational crimes at Indonesia's maritime borders. – Malaysia - Philippines and analyzes Indonesia's defense diplomacy in handling transnational crimes at the Indonesia - Malaysia - Philippines sea border. This study uses a qualitative phenomenological method. Data collection was conducted by interview and literature study (Trilateral Cooperative Agreement TCA) is a response in dealing with transnational crimes in the Sulu-Sulawesi Sea region. With its various series of activities, this collaboration plays an important role in efforts to maintain regional security and stability. The Indonesian Defense Diplomacy Strategy in the TCA aims to increase mutual trust and defense capabilities in terms of coordination, communication and joint exercises. Therefore, the defense diplomacy strategy in this research can be said to have fulfilled two main characters of defense diplomacy, namely; defense diplomacy to build mutual trust and defense diplomacy to build defense capability. Besides being able to reduce the number of transnational crimes at the sea borders of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.