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Explainer | Explained: what’s behind Indonesia’s move to reclaim control of Riau Islands airspace from Singapore?
- Widodo has pledged to take over control of the flight information region above Riau Islands, which has been managed by the city state since 1946
- While Jakarta sees it as a sovereignty issue, experts say any change to the airspace would affect Changi Airport’s operations and cause flight delays
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When Indonesian President Joko Widodo met with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad earlier this month, one item of discussion was on Jakarta’s flight information region (FIR), according to a statement put out by Kuala Lumpur after the meeting.
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There were no further details given on the discussion but last month, Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told local media that Jakarta and Singapore had made “significant progress” on Indonesia’s bid to reclaim control of the FIR over the Riau Islands. The FIR is a section of Indonesian airspace that is managed by the city state.
Singapore has been in control of flights above some areas of the province – such as Batam, Tanjung Pinang, Bintan and the Natuna Islands – since 1946. This was approved by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), that felt the island nation would be able to ensure high standards of safety and efficiency.
But Widodo, who will embark on his second term from October, has given his administration a directive to claim back the FIR by the time his second – and final term – ends in 2024.
Why does Indonesia want to reclaim the Riau Islands FIR?
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Critics of the current set-up, including former Indonesian Air Force Chief of Staff Chappy Hakim, have asked how a large country – Indonesia is Southeast Asia’s only trillion-dollar economy – could allow a smaller country at its border to oversee its airspace.
Chappy repeated his stance, thought to be the view of others in the Indonesian defence establishment, on August 17 when he launched his book on Indonesia’s FIR in the Riau Islands.
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