Development and national security: Indonesia’s Natuna Island and the South China Sea issue

Abstract

This article analyses the demands and interests of the Natuna Regency of Indonesia and interprets the disputes in the South China Sea from the perspective of local factors. Based on an analysis of numerous documents and reports, as well as field research trips to Natuna and online interviews with local government leaders, members of nongovernmental organisations and businesspeople, the study concludes that the securitisation of Natuna Regency, with its rich resources and special strategic position, has attracted great attention. The local government has no authority over the waters around Natuna, and while it can share a small portion of the profits made from local resources, it cannot promote local economic development or protect the rights of fisheries. The local government can only promote the policies of the central government in economic development and cooperate with the military to ensure the safety of the surrounding waters and local fishing vessels. The local government continues to actively petition the central government to designate Natuna-Anambas a special province to gain more management rights. The development demands of resource-rich areas drive local leaders to seek cooperation with the military and the international community, increasing the uncertainty of the situation in the South China Sea.

Keywords:

• Local factors
• Indonesia
• Natuna
• South China Sea
• development

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Notes

1 Indonesian government, Peraturan Pemerintah Nomor 32 Tahun 2004 tentang perubahan atas Pemerintah Daerah No. 22 Tahun 1999 tentang Pemerintah Daerah [Government Regulation Number 32 of 2004 concerning changes to Regional Government No. 22 of 1999 concerning Regional Government], LN. 2004/ No. 125, TLN NO.4437, LL SETNEG : 115 HLM. 2004. Accessed 24 March 2023, https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Home/Details/40768/uu-no-32-tahun-2004

2 Sekretaris Negara, R. I. Undang-undang (UU) tentang Pembentukan Kabupaten Pelalawan, Kabupaten Rokan Hulu, Kabupaten Rokan Hilir, Kabupaten Siak, Kabupaten Karimun, Kabupaten Natuna, Kabupaten Kuantan Singingi, dan Kota Batam. [Law (UU) on the Establishment of Pelalawan Regency, Rokan Hulu Regency, Rokan Hilir Regency, Siak Regency, Karimun Regency, Natuna Regency, Kuantan Singingi Regency, and Batam City]. LN. 1999/ No. 181, TLN NO. 3902, LL SETNEG : 17 HLM ,1999. Accessed 24 March 2023, https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Home/Details/45399

3 Sekretaris Negara, R. I. Undang-undang Nomor 25 tahun 2002 tentang Pembentukan Provinsi Kepulauan Riau. [Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 25 of 2002 concerning the establishment of the Riau Archipelago Province]. LL SETNEG : 7 HLM, 2002, accessed 24 March 2023, https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Home/Details/44480/uu-no-25-tahun-2002

4 Sekretaris Negara, R. I. Undang-undang republik indonesia nomor 23 tahun 2014 tentang pemerintahan daerah. [Law of the Republic of Indonesia number 23 of 2014 concerning regional government], 2014. LN.2014/No. 244, TLN No. 5587, LL SETNEG: 212 HLM, accessed 24 March 2023, https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Home/Details/38685/uu-no-23-tahun-2014

5 Interview with the former head of the oil and gas department of the Secretariat of Natuna Regency, 10 February 2021.

6 Natuna Regency, Kabupaten Natuna dalam Angka Natuna Regency Publication in Figures 2022, Natuna Regency, 2022. Accessed 24 March 2023, https://natunakab.bps.go.id/publication/2022/02/25/fed8422cc44edb1833a22362/kabupaten-natuna-dalam-angka-2022.html

7 Wan Siswandi Dan Rodhial Huda, Naskah visi, misi dan program prioritas calon bupati dan calon wakil bupati kabupaten Natuna Wan Siswandi dan Rodhial Huda tahun 2021–2026. [Draft vision, mission and priority programmes for the candidates for regents and candidates for deputy regents for Natuna Wan Siswandi and Rodhial Huda districts for 2021–2026]. Accessed 24 March 2023, https://www.scribd.com/document/538270561/Calon-Bersama-5-0255970101-Wan-Siswandi-Dan-Rodhial-Huda-1

8 Interview with the official of the Natuna Regency on 19 January 2021.

9 Interview with the official of the Natuna Regence, Jakarta, June 2023.

10 “The Trouble with New Trawls Regulations,” Koral, accessed 11 June 2023, https://koral.info/en/the-trouble-with-new-trawls-regulations/

11 Interview with the official of the Natuna Regence, Jakarta, June 2023.

12 Ibid.

13 Ibid.

14 Ibid.

15 Kepriprov, “Gubernur Kepri Berharap Pada Kunjungan Mendagri Ke Natuna Agar Pemerintah Pusat Ikut Membangun Kesejahteraan Masyarakat Daerah Perbatasan,” last modified 23 November 2021, accessed 11 June 2023, https://kepriprov.go.id/berita/pemprov-kepri/gubernur-kepri-berharap-pada-kunjungan-mendagri-ke-natuna-agar-pemerintah-pusat-ikut-membangun-kesejahteraan-masyarakat-daerah-perbatasan/

16 Kepriprov, “Gubernur Ansar Berhasil Jolok Dana APBN 2023 Sebesar Rp120 Miliar Untuk Membangun Jalan Di Natuna,” last modified 17 February 2023, accessed 11 June 2023, https://kepriprov.go.id/berita/gubernur/gubernur-ansar-berhasil-jolok-dana-apbn-2023-sebesar-rp120-miliar-untuk-membangun-jalan-di-natuna/

17 Interview with the official of the Natuna Regence, Jakarta, June 2023.

18 Interview with local authority of the Natuna Island, online, 2021.

19 Interview with a senior diplomat of the Indonesia government, 2021.

20 Interview with local fishermen on 27 February 2023.

Additional information

Funding

This article was funded by Shenzhen Philosophy and Social Science Planning Fund (SZ2022A001).

Notes on contributors

Yani Yang

Yani Yang is a doctoral candidate at the Institute of Global and Strategic Studies at the University of Indonesia. Over the years, she has been dedicated to the study of China–Indonesia relations, the Chinese diaspora in Indonesia, and Indonesian language and culture.

Yizheng Zou

Yizheng Zou is an associate professor at Shenzhen University. His scholarship primarily orbits around China’s diplomacy, its relations with Southeast Asia, and the geopolitical intricacies of the South China Sea.