Impact of Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo Leaderships on Indonesia's World Maritime Axis

Abstract

On 5 July 2014, Joko Widodo, as presidential candidate has expressed his idea on “Indonesia’s strategic position on world maritime axis and regional maritime hub”. His statement gave country’s powerful bargaining position as world largest archipelago with its Sea Lanes of Communications strategic possesses led to many countries compete to dominate the maritime route around Asia Pacific region. Sooner or later, modernization of maritime and air power should be accelerated to overcome underdevelopment quality and quantity of main weaponry system. Joko Widodo’s idea of Indonesia’s pivot maritime is a clear signal for others, which this country would back up into a national maritime power with concentrated economic power, as the bargaining power of diplomacy, and political and military strategy on the acquisition and control of maritime areas. Elected president, Joko Widodo (Jokowi) prioritized Nawa Cita concept as Nine Priority Agenda, which the state defense budget allocation will be increased to 1.5 percent of gross domestic product alone, but how Indonesia could become a pivot maritime ? The quality of Indonesia’s sea and air military power Indonesia is a biggest reason for national contribution to revitalize its potential efforts in world balance of power establishment in order to keep the peaceful economic stability on the whole region. Therefore, in the period of the next two decades, Asia is the center of the world economy because three of the five countries with the strongest economy the world are in Asia will be China, Japan, and India. In 2050, Indonesia is predicted to be world economic power. To conclude, impact of Indonesia’s attractive and strategic geopolitical state will cause the area to be prone to foreign threats, as maritime pivot must be supported throughout the Indonesian national assets that could realize the idea of a living nation of maritime resources, together with human resource land that already sluggish and less proactive. Mental revolution that proclaimed president-elect would have to be read in the spirit of old mental orders yet business as usual.