REBUILDING THE GLORY OF MARITIME STATE

The above discussion indicates that the building of maritime state can not be performed partially. It has to be carried out integrally covering all elements of the existing potentials for creating products which are not only required by local market but also by global demand. For building the future of Indonesia as maritime state, it is not necessary to develop exclusively marine-based production capacity (such as fishery) but also land-based production. Principally, the goverment should stimulate to all elements in the society to create demanded product possessing comparative and competitive advantages regardless marine and land-based sectors. For the interest of economic and political integration among islands and regions, it is necessary to create specialization in product among different islands and or regions based on their own potentials. It will lead to the creation of functioning supply and demand in the formation process of what the so called Indonesian "Single Market" like. The fleet is one of the most significant factors for developing an advanced maritime state. The ownership of advanced merchant fleet is very important for maritime state. As far as macro economy is concerned, the transport of inter-islands as well as international trade by an efficient domestic/national shipping company will prevent the flow out of foreign exchange. In the meantime, it is necessary for maritime state to possess a strong navy and patrol ships to secure ocean territories againts all kinds of criminal actions as well as political and military disputes from other countries. The authority of a maritime state is very much depended on this matter. It should be noted that building a great maritime state can not be done only by exploiting marine-based resources. It requires also socialization and enculturation of maritime history and maritime cultural value through the media of education, art, literatures, etc. Last but not least, comprehensive, sustainable, and futuristic goverment policies are needed for building a maritime state. Without laying foundation of maritime culture, an obsession to build a great maritime state of Indonesia is possibly only dream.