TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan revealed his view on the government’s latest policy on lifting a 20-year-old ban against exporting sea sands under President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s presidency – which is overseen under Government Decree (PP) No.26/2023 on sea sedimentation management.

He compared it to the Presidency of Megawati – which saw the sea sand export introduced for the first time – and insisted that he was one of the strongest opponents of such exports. Zulkifli mentioned this in a hearing with Commission VI House of Representatives legislators on June 6.

“I strongly opposed it when President Megawati banned the activity. But why is the export now reopened, this is what I fail to understand,” he said.

Zulkifli Hasan has repeatedly emphasized that he is not participating in discussions regarding sea export permits and claims to have confirmed to the Cabinet Secretariat that the policy was an initiative of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.

He claims he had to accept the government decree as he assumed the position of Minister of Trade, "If the decision has been made, of course, I, as a minister, have to participate, right? I really don't know. I consider sea sand as the part of the country."

Indonesia stopped put an end to sea sand export in February 2002 to prevent environmental damage and the sinking of small islands. Especially around the outermost areas of the Indonesian territory in the Riau Archipelago as a result of sand mining.

Other worrying aspects include sea territorial boundaries between Indonesia and Singapore that have not been finalized. The reclamation project in Singapore, which obtains its raw material from sea sand in Riau waters, is also feared to affect the territorial boundaries between the two countries.

RIANI SANUSI PUTRI

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