Abstract
ABSTRACT. Decentralized archipelagic states face governance challenges in translating national security frameworks into localized institutional practices. This paper analyses the formalization of coastal community participation into maritime security governance in Batam, Indonesia through multi-layered political mechanisms. The study uses a qualitative case study design incorporating insights from securitization theory and multi-level governance frameworks. Data were collected between March and July 2025, comprising 18 semi-structured interviews, policy document analysis, mapping of institutional coordination, and field observations. The findings reveal a persistent multi-level securitization gap: national threat narratives, particularly those articulated in terms of sovereignty, have not been proportionally translated into regional institutional capacity, fiscal commitment, or regulatory instruments. In Indonesia, maritime surveillance at the community level is largely done in informal ways. The volunteer network Relawan Penjaga Laut Nusantara (RAPALA) is not formally recognized by the Indonesian law, which makes it difficult to create a formal reserve component. The institutionalization process is conditioned by the density of bureaucratic coordination, the patterns of financial investment, and the interaction between civil and military entities. This also provides useful insights for scholars and policymakers working on participatory maritime governance in decentralized archipelagic settings.
Recommended Citation
Suhirwan, Suhirwan; Sumantri, Siswo Hadi; Prakoso, Lukman Yudho; and Dohamid, Ahmad Gafuri
(2026)
"Politics of Maritime Security Governance: Institutional Fragmentation, Securitization and Community Engagement in Decentralized Border Area of Indonesia,"
Jurnal Wacana Politik: Vol. 11:
Iss.
3, Article 10.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24198/jwp.v11i3.10
Available at:
https://journal.unpad.ac.id/wacanapolitik/vol11/iss3/10
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