This project underwent an initial feasibility test more than a decade ago. If this project is to progress, it may incur a whopping construction cost of more than 52 billion ringgit (US$12.67 billion). This proposed bridge may reach the length of 127.92 kilometers from one end to the other, stimulating economic growth for both countries. Teluk Gong in Malacca is the Malaysian terminus for the bridge and it ends at the port city of Dumai in Riau province.

The proposed Strait of Malacca Bridge is likely to resemble the Oresund Bridge that connects the Danish capital of Copenhagen in Denmark and Malmo in Sweden. When the construction of the bridge over Oresund Sound was proposed, it received adverse criticism from the shipping community as it was thought that it would hamper shipping flow in the Oresund Sound. As a result, Germany asked the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to suspend construction of the bridge.

As a compromise, Sweden suggested that the bridge should be designed in two features; half a bridge and half a tunnel. This compromise was advocated to allow bigger ships to navigate across the Oresund Sound. It subsequently increased the construction expenditure of the bridge to three times more than the cost that was budgeted for in the original plan.

It is anticipated that such a huge project would not only adversely affect the coastal ecosystems on both shores of the bridge; it would also affect the Strait as a whole, from hydrological, environmental and economic perspectives. The movement and speed of currents would be changed by the existence of pillars holding up the bridge and could potentially alter the nature of the Strait.

From the environmental perspective, the project would encroach the nesting grounds of the penyu karah (hawksbill turtle) as the construction site of the bridge on the Malaysian side would be around Padang Kemunting, an important nesting area for this species of marine animal. Given the fact that construction of the bridge would itself alter the seabed ecosystems of the strait, it has the potential to negatively impact fisheries activities and marine and coastal tourism in that area.

Its construction would have the effect of closing down a large portion of the traffic separation scheme (TSS) areas of the Strait of Malacca, which would result in potential navigational hazards for ships and thus, hamper traffic flow through the waterway.

The construction and presence of the bridge, with its many concrete pillars, would not only reduce the speed of vessels sailing through the Strait but also cause difficulty for large container vessels and oil tankers navigating through this area. As a result, many nations would file diplomatic protests against Malaysia and Indonesia for violating Article 44 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 — an article that prohibits states bordering straits from hampering shipping traffic.

The slower movement of shipping traffic would cause congestion in the strait and this may eventually lead to maritime accidents. Spills of oil, chemical and noxious substances from such accidents could jeopardize the sensitive marine environment of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. It would also mean that transits by shipping traffic would take a longer time, leading to higher shipping costs and price increases for products sold in markets worldwide.

Another issue that arises is whether the bridge could really foster economic benefits for both countries. Would the level of cost involved in constructing the bridge be justified by subsequent usage?

The cost of constructing the bridge would result in high debt liabilities for both Malaysia and Indonesia, which would be passed on to bridge users in the form of higher tolls. If the toll imposed on the bridge is too high, the public at large may refrain from using it and may revert to using ferries and boats to cross the Strait of Malacca.

With the tropical weather conditions that are common in both Malaysia and Indonesia, thunder storms are a natural phenomenon in the evening. Driving across the Strait would be dangerous in this type of weather. The substantial length of the bridge would make it difficult for the authorities to maintain the safety and security of drivers.

Malacca on the Malaysian side is a strategic site for the bridge as Malacca and other major cities in Malaysia, including Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley, Putrajaya, Johor Bahru and neighboring Singapore, are not too far away from each other. These cities are served with good highway connections that link them to the city of Malacca.

However, Dumai is not a similarly strategic site on the Indonesian side as it only has a relatively small population of over 302,000, according to 2019 date. It is not a major city and is distant from other main Indonesian cities like Jakarta, Bandung in West Java, Surabaya in East Java, Medan in North Sumatra, Palembang in South Sumatra and Padang in West Sumatra. At the moment, Indonesia is actively constructing highway networks across the length of Sumatra.  

Taking these considerations into account, having a bridge connection Malacca and Dumai is not likely to boost economic growth. It could also be seen as a potential major navigational hazard for international shipping traffic transiting the Strait of Malacca, as well as raising the likelihood of maritime accidents and marine pollution.

Furthermore, Indonesia is now developing its sea toll strategy. This proposed Strait of Malacca Bridge may not be in line with Indonesia’s maritime-based development vision.  For now, it is not entirely viable to have the bridge — it remains a gateway to nowhere.   

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Mohd Hazmi bin Mohd Rusli is an associate professor at the School of Syariah and Law, Islamic Science University of Malaysia (USIM). Ade Maman Suherman is a professor at the School of Law, General Soedirman University in Purwokerto, Central Java.