Indonesia: 'green water navy'

[Ananda]

From looking at it externally, it seems to me that the main problem is overlap. As in multiple agencies running similar ships for identical purposes. Mostly security/patrol. And often - e.g. KPLP - even in their own sub-agencies or departments that only handle that task without other duties.

Seems that's what the essence the Naval Chief arguments. KPLP and Bakamla for example has overlap, but also Customs with Bakamla. The Naval Chief also talk about the better coordination on his time at Bakorkamla.

However by close to end of his deliberation he shown preference on one united agency as Coast Guard. From my understanding he prefer that on the idea of streamlining bureucracy for better budget management plus the need to have one agency for 2nd line of maritime defense in time of emergency.

The operational costs of maintaining multiple fleets shouldn't differ much from having them aggregated under one agency,

hope that with the disappearance of the current concurrence/rivalry mentality between the entities, the performance in general will increase

This is actually very related to Indonesian bureucracy problem. Multiple agency can have advantage on the environment of already efficient management. Indonesia Bureucracy is not on that situation. Thus consolidate agencies into one especially when too much overlaping function is actually provide better budget management. The most importantly clearer jurusdiction thus reducing the under the table costs. I bold that, as that's the main problem for a country with bureucracy mentality like Indonesia (and for that matter most Global South).

For example fuel costs, it is not a secret that fuel procurement costs have differed payment procedures on each agency. Eventough all being procure from single provider Pertamina. No secret it is because some "cake" slicings need for each agency bureucracy. One unified agency hopefully will reduce it, not eliminate as this is Indonesia afterall. Fuel costs is one of main factor on fleet preperadness.

With the added difficulty of being a federal country.

With regards to Indonesian centralised government, reducing agency can provide better command structure. Despite increasing autonomy in provinces, Indonesia still maintain strong central government nature. I once after Soeharto fall, was supporter for federalisation of Indonesia. However in few years after that realise Indonesia not build for Federalisation and perhaps never will. It is build since the time of Dutch East Indies to have strong central government, and it need continue to have that to properly function.

 

[Ananda]

To Add on Coast Guard legislation, there are three options that heard being discussed.

1. Recreating Bakorkamla but with stronger jurisdiction,
2. Unified Coast Guard with potentially Bakamla as surviving entity,
3. Bakamla absorb some agencies but some other will stay.

#1 clearly what most of agencies outside Bakamla hope for. They can keep their bureucracy cake exist. However seems Military (TNI) less prefer this. TNI like all military wants strong command structure, and they preference are one agency that they can coordinate. With an ex General as president and he still maintain strong military mentality, I don't think option #1 has strong support from administration.

#2 clearly preference from TNI, but there're some agency that already have their own legislations back. The CG legislation seems going to render and overide legislation that give KPLP and Fisheries Protection jurusdiction. However Maritime Police and Custom will be problematic as National Police has their own, and Custom related to national revenue function.

#3 in my opinion that potentially can be choose. With Bakamla taking over KPLP and Fisheries Protection, while dividing jurisdiction with Maritime Police. Perhaps Maritime Police will have jurisdiction over riverine and near coastal and Bakamla as Coast Guard more on external coastal and ZEE. This will be in line with TNI-AL vision that CG will support them as 2nd line of reserve defense function. Custom can be a tossup, but in my opinion more likely still survive but under coordination with CG on doing Maritime duties.

#2 and #3 will take years on transition but can be fasten by need to forcefuly change some bureucracy cultural ego. Bakamla and KPLP for example have their own academic training and this need to be consolidate first, as this is why the rivalry begin. Some bureacrats need to let go. KPLP and Fisheries also has less political support, unlike Police and Custom that belong to MoF.