Desy Nurhayati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Legislators are still debating the necessity of a separate coast guard to secure the country's vast seas.
Yusron Ihza Mahendra, deputy chairman of House of Representatives Commission I for security and defense, said the country needed a separate force from the Navy.
""A separate coast guard is necessary to guard our maritime territory, considering the massive losses we have suffered from sea piracy, illegal fishing and other crimes at the sea,"" Yusron told The Jakarta Post.
""Indonesia could learn from other countries that have set up coast guards. We need to learn how to coordinate between the coast guard, the Navy and other already-established maritime bodies, to prevent an overlapping of duties.""
The number of piracy cases worldwide has increased by 14 percent in 2007, according to a recent report from the International Maritime Body.
During the first nine months of the year there were 198 cases, up from 174 in the same period last year. Most of these incidents happened in the waters of Somalia and Nigeria.
The vital Strait of Malacca -- shared by Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia as littoral states -- has seen a decrease in pirate attacks on ships passing through one of the world's busiest waterways.
Malaysia established its own coast guard, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, in February 2005. The agency began official patrols in November 2005.
Yusron, who is from Crescent Star Party (PBB), said the decrease in the number of piracy cases in the Strait of Malacca was a result of cooperation between Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia in patrolling the waterway.
He said it also pointed to stepped up efforts by the Indonesian Navy to patrol the area.
The Navy is operating more patrol vessels and has installed a number of sea radars and long-range cameras in cooperation with Malaysia and Singapore.
However, legislator Djoko Susilo of the National Mandate Party (PAN) says the country cannot financially afford to establish a separate coast guard.
""The establishment of a coast guard is a good idea, but it is impossible with our limited defense budget, and we can not rely on assistance from other countries,"" Djoko told the Post.
""What we should do now is to make the already-established agencies more effective. We might have a separate coast guard in the future if our defense technology has improved.""
Military analyst J. Kristiadi from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies agreed with Djoko, saying the country did not need a coast guard.
""We just need to maximize the Navy and other agencies in charge of guarding our maritime zones,"" he told the Post.
""If we could fulfill at least 75 percent of the minimum defense needs, we would have a better defense system.""
In addition to establishing a separate coast guard, Yusron said it was necessary to draft a law allocating a portion of the proceeds from confiscated goods and vessels from crimes at sea to help finance the Navy.
""The law could stipulate that half of the proceeds goes to the state while the rest goes to the Navy to improve its systems,"" he said.
