Indonesia’s finance minister suggests imposing levy on ships transiting Malacca Strait
Posted by defenestrate_urself@reddit | anime_titties | View on Reddit | 31 comments
MelodiusRA@reddit
Seems like Iran has created a precedent for this that China supported. Indonesia is pretty smart to declare this now; they’ve probably considered this for a long time.
Normally, the US would try to prevent something like this and speak against it, but since China opportunistically supports anti-freedom of trade initiatives, wouldn’t surprise me if the US is quiet about this one.
NorthernerWuwu@reddit
Eh, the trouble is that Indonesia can't actually enforce it. The mistake with Iran was that they can and competent administrations knew they could.
TruthHistorical7515@reddit
American bot detected. The only "anti-freedom" here is Trump's America who blockaded multiple countries
MelodiusRA@reddit
Was it the flair that gave it away?
The “axis of resistance” has eyes now. Soon, they’ll be rubbing sticks together for fire.
appeartobehuman@reddit
no. it was never in Indonesia's interest to impose such levy. If I read this right, that notion only came up after we signed defense pact with US. US understand that China benefits by Iran's blockade, and the US petrodollar system is threatened - particularly after reports stating that Iran require all transaction concerning oil release to be paid in Yuan. Strait of Malacca is very important to China, and they've been growing presence in the surrounding area, particularly South China Sea - I believe that is also one of the reason why we signed the defense pact.
TruthHistorical7515@reddit
Indonesia's wannbe dictator cozying up with the USA again
Neco-Arc-Brunestud@reddit
Should note that the US was the first to set the precedent in not only restricting global trade politically, but also through attacking ships in international waters, through the seizure of Russian oil tankers and bombing private vessels surrounding Venezuela.
As such, China had to change its policy to ensure that at least this disruption in global trade wouldn't affect its own economy.
https://english.www.gov.cn/policies/latestreleases/202604/13/content_WS69dcc947c6d00ca5f9a0a5b9.html
MelodiusRA@reddit
You are mistaken— those were illegal tankers without insurance. There’s a reason it’s called “the Shadow Fleet.”
Scagnettio@reddit
Iran is sanctioned to the end of the planet by the US so pretty hard to get their insurance correct.
That doesn't mean the US get ls to seize their ships in international waters.
MelodiusRA@reddit
Yes, turns out that most shipping companies would rather deal with the people ensuring maritime safety than the guys who piss them off.
SamuelClemmens@reddit
They have insurance, just not western backed insurance. Unsurprisingly, non-western nations never agreed that western powers got to control the ocean's traffic.
MelodiusRA@reddit
That’s the fun thing about freedom of navigation— Russia and China haven’t ever actually paid out when they were found liable. That’s why no country uses Russian or Chinese insurance unless they are forced to (because they are trying to do some shady shit elsewhere).
You are basically saying that loans from loan sharks are just as valid as loans from reputable vendors.
SamuelClemmens@reddit
Found liable by who?
Repubtable to who?
MelodiusRA@reddit
When your tanker spills stolen goods or stalls, the Russian or Chinese insurance companies are supposed to pay out.
Guess who historically doesn’t pay out?
Magjee@reddit
da prez?
MelodiusRA@reddit
Him too.
Neco-Arc-Brunestud@reddit
That was the premise, yes. But those were specifically targeted because of Venezuela.
Not to mention the sanctions on Iran were lifted a couple months later, legalizing shadow fleets.
MelodiusRA@reddit
Your source doesn’t say anythin about what you just said.
The sanctions were never lifted in 2026, what are you lying about?
kirito52999@reddit
No country has abused freedom of trade inniatives more than United states. they are currently blockading Cuba with their "maximum pressure" campaigns and have crippled cuba. they should have no right talking about trade
MelodiusRA@reddit
The only reason countries don’t do tolls right now unilaterally is the threat of the US Navy which has historically threatened war against countries who do so.
This is the first time that the US is leveraging freedom of trade against other nations that oppose America’s other interests.
It makes sense— it is no longer economically expedient for America to police the world’s oceans for free, so it is excising a “diplomatic” toll.
kirito52999@reddit
no countries has threaten freedom of trades more than United states navy
Magjee@reddit
Yep
The US also never signed UNCLOS, while enjoying the benefits from nearly everyone else abiding by it
Neco-Arc-Brunestud@reddit
I recommend you read the source.
I also recommend that you google the lifting of Iranian sanctions.
imunfair@reddit
Free trade is nice, but if Trump is going to randomly tariff different places and hurt their trade income it doesn't seem like that out of pocket that they should be allowed to tax the trade flowing through their region. Everyone is getting a cut of the pie in different ways, somewhat similar to a Value Added Tax.
NorthernerWuwu@reddit
Make no mistake, Trump loves the idea. Much of his "foreign policy" this term has been focused on controlling every bottleneck there is: Greenland/Canada (for the upcoming NWP transits) and Panama especially but also the Straights of course. Malacca, the Horn, the Cape, the South China Sea (or whatever you prefer to call it) and so on aren't focused on as much because the US already sees them as in their pocket.
The goal though is to control them all and then charge money, ideally into Trump's pocket personally but at worst, into America's pocket in general.
Calavant@reddit
I mean, it would be disastrous to human welfare and the general quality of life pretty much anywhere you go... but, yes, if you are already going to be suffering because everyone else is doing it then you may as well reap what you can. Tragedy of the Commons ensues.
'If you are going to do the time you may as well commit the crime'.
Capable-Yam4557@reddit
I was going to write a lot of paragraph then I don't think it would be enough to explain how messy the current Indonesian administration is. It might be the most chaotic and incompetent administration since the 60s, where it ended up in a huge communist genocide. The current administration can still holding on because of the lifeline built by previous administrations to prevent crisis in this exact scenario of looming global crisis.
In short, the statement comes from the Minister of Finance, known as the "cowboy minister" with his big mouth and bold actions and zero achievements. Kinda like discount Javier Millei.
The closure of the Strait of Malacca will never happen because the current president is a huge pussy, who will bow to any foreign leaders as long as they can help prevent Indonesian economy from going bust. He is VERY afraid and paranoid of losing his power in a revolution, a rare occurence here that somehow happened to his father-in-law in 1998. So he would do anything to prevent that to happen even if he'd agree to Trump's outrageus demands as long as USA won't slap more tariffs that would hurt the Indonesian economy and motivates people to rise up.
And I haven't mentioned how incompetent and corrupt everyone is, including the Indonesian army. They won't have the capability to block any straits. We are closer to Venezuela than Iran.
TL;DR: Don't take this seriously, this comes from a blabbermouth insignificant minister. This will never happen unless a change of administration happen and the new one is as ballsy as the Iranian regime.
defenestrate_urself@reddit (OP)
Off topic but I’ve been reading about the opening of Indonesian airspace to US military in a proposed defence cooperation agreement. Is this likely to go through?
lilkiya@reddit
No, the discussion is still there between US-Indonesia but i doubt it would materialize, and its a political suicide for the current admins to allow US enter Indonesian Airspace.. Indonesia has been a non-aligned country for years after WW2 so giving US access to Indonesia airspace would easily anger China which are currently indonesia biggest trading partner.
Funfact: during the meeting of Indonesia MoD with pete hegseth in Washington, the President of Indonesia literally visiting Putin in Moscow at the SAME TIME..
Yussso@reddit
Current administration is definitely west leaning, that could happen although I don't know if it's likely to happen or not.
armanikode@reddit
As a Singaporean, Pak Minister is the minister of finance... Which is an important portfolio where I'm from. Pak Minister's comments basically validated our Foreign Minister's position not to pay Iranian tolls
I feel sad for the govt staff who has to work under this Pak Minister