JAKARTA, Thekabarnews.com—Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has pledged to strengthen Indonesia’s maritime sovereignty. He also promises to crack down on illegal fishing vessel activity by foreigners in Indonesian waters.

Prabowo stated that tens of thousands of foreign-flagged ships illegally exploit Indonesia’s natural resources every night. He presented this claim during the 2027 Macroeconomic Framework and Fiscal Policy Priorities at a plenary parliamentary session on Wednesday, May 20.

“Our land and waters are enormous. Every night, tens of thousands of foreign-flagged ships are illegally stealing our wealth. We have to maintain our sovereignty in our seas,” Prabowo told the lawmakers during the session.

The president said Indonesia would no longer tolerate illegal exploitation of marine resources. He vowed to take tough legal action against any offenders.

Prabowo directly linked the issue with the constitutional mandate of the 1945 Constitution. He emphasized that the nation’s natural resources must benefit the Indonesian people.

Prabowo said that maritime wealth should be for the welfare of farmers, fishermen, and local communities. It should not be lost to illegal foreign activity.

“We want our farmers to be smiling because they get fair value for abundant harvests. We want our fishermen, who risk their lives to provide protein for our people, to go to sea with proper equipment and safe facilities and obtain valuable catches,” the president said.

Illegal fishing has long been one of Indonesia’s perennial maritime challenges. Previous government estimates indicated illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing caused billions of dollars in annual economic losses. Such activity primarily impacts local fishing communities and national seafood production.

Indonesia possesses vast marine resources across thousands of islands and strategic sea routes as one of the world’s largest archipelagic countries. However, monitoring such vast stretches of water is a huge logistical and security challenge.

Besides promising stronger law enforcement, Prabowo announced a number of new initiatives to improve the welfare of fishing communities.

The Indonesian government wants to build ice-making plants in fishing villages across Indonesia. This would help preserve the catch and improve product quality.

President Prabowo said the administration also plans to build fuel stations specifically designed for fishermen in coastal villages.

The facilities are expected to lower operational expenses and improve access to fuel for small-scale fishing communities. These communities often incur high logistics costs.

If these measures are carried out properly, the combination of better enforcement and infrastructure support could do a great deal. It could significantly improve the competitiveness of Indonesia’s fisheries sector.

Prabowo’s comments also reflect Indonesia’s broader ambitions to improve food security, maritime control, and economic sovereignty under his rule.

The speech comes amid increasing regional focus on maritime security, illegal fishing, and competition for resources across the waters of Southeast Asia.

For many Indonesians, especially those in coastal communities, it is more than a matter of national pride. It is about livelihoods, food security, and the protection of one of the country’s most precious natural assets, the sea.

Stay connected via Google News