Indonesia-Singapore-Malaysia Super Long Discussion Regarding FIR

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The flight information region (FIR) agreement between Indonesia and Singapore took a very long time. Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Budi Karya Sumadi said Indonesian representatives held about 60 discussions to discuss the new FIR agreement. This new agreement also involves representatives of Malaysia

“This process is a long process and with the leadership of the Presidents of Singapore and Malaysia it has given us space for discussions and we have conducted more than 60 discussions, these discussions talk about technical issues,” said Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi in a press statement here. Presidential Secretariat YouTube account, Thursday (8/9/2022).

Budi made this statement to answer whether the new FIR agreement would affect the 1983 agreement between Indonesia and Malaysia regarding the granting of a sea corridor and the air space above it for Malaysian air traffic between east and west Malaysia.

Budi said the new FIR agreement was not only discussed with Singapore but also discussed with Malaysian representatives. But in essence, said Budi, Indonesia still gives space to Malaysia as a friendly country.

“In the case of Malaysia, there is indeed an agreement between Indonesia and Malaysia, we provide a corridor as one friend. Of course, we provide space between Malaysia and Malaysia with a space,” said Budi.

“And we also carry out this agreement two-party, Indonesia-Malaysia, Indonesia-Singapore, and we also do three-party so that all these agreements are based on an agreement, after the President signs the PP then this will take effect and this has been awaited by all parties and our opportunity to manage the territory in their territory will happen,” continued Budi.

A similar statement was conveyed by Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. Luhut emphasized that there was no problem with Malaysia regarding the new FIR agreement.

“Now that the Minister of Transportation has discussed it, I see there is no problem. Earlier, the ASEAN nuances, the Indonesian-Malaysian nuances, I see there are no problems,” said Luhut.

As is known, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) signed a Presidential Regulation (Perpres) concerning the Ratification of the Flight Information Region (FIR) Agreement between Indonesia and Singapore. Jokowi said this agreement was a step forward for international recognition of Indonesia’s airspace.

“Alhamdulillah, I have signed the Presidential Regulation, Presidential Regulation, concerning the Ratification of the FIR Agreement between Indonesia and Singapore,” Jokowi said in a press statement on the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube account.

Jokowi said the ratification of the FIR agreement could have an impact on Indonesia’s income. In addition, Jokowi also said this was momentum for the development of Indonesian human resources.

“This agreement is a step forward for international recognition of Indonesia’s air space, which at the same time increases aviation safety and security guarantees and can increase non-tax state revenues and this can be a momentum for modernizing aviation navigation equipment and developing Indonesian human resources,” said Jokowi.

Jokowi explained that the air space in the Riau and Natuna Islands has been managed by Singapore for a long time. Now the management of the air space has been successfully returned to Indonesia.

“For a long time, our air space over the Riau and Natuna Islands has been managed by Singapore, and thanks to the hard work of all parties we have succeeded in returning the management of air space over the Riau and Natuna Islands to the Republic of Indonesia. And this increases the area of ​​​​the flight information region (FIR) of Jakarta amounting to 249,575 square kilometers,” said Jokowi.