Khaberni - The Indonesian Finance Minister, Burbaya Yudhi Sadiowa, announced that his country is planning to establish a system to collect fees from ships passing through the Malacca Strait.
He made these statements on Wednesday, according to the "Jakarta Globe", where he explained that his country is located on a vital route for global trade and energy, despite currently not collecting fees from ships passing through the strait.
He mentioned that Indonesia intends to implement this system in coordination with neighboring countries, within the framework of President Prabowo Subianto's vision to enhance the country's role in global trade.
He added that the plan is still in its early stages and may not be implemented soon, due to the difficulty of reaching an agreement with the neighboring countries and the potential for eliciting reactions.
On the other hand, Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said that the war in the Middle East highlights the importance of vital maritime crossing points.
He added, as reported by "CNBC", that the right of passage is guaranteed for all, emphasizing that his country will not participate in any efforts to close the passages or obstruct them or impose fees on passing ships.
The Malacca Strait links the Indian and Pacific Oceans and is the shortest sea route between Middle Eastern suppliers and Asian importers, located between Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.
The strait holds strategic importance, as it is the world’s busiest narrow waterway in terms of oil transit volume.
