M. Raihan Muzzaki, Jakarta – The Center for Economic and Legal Studies (Celios) presented the results of its study on the economic losses due to the theft of sea sand that occurred in the waters of Batam, Riau Islands last Wednesday, October 9, 2024. Celios Executive Director Bhima Yudhistira said that Indonesia suffered a loss of Rp925.2 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) due to the theft.

"But in fact, this causes a lot of economic damage. So up to Rp925.2 billion of economic output lost due to sand theft to Singapore," Bhima said during a press conference on the policy of extraction and export of sea sand at the Indonesia Ocean Justice Initiative (IOJI) in Jakarta on Friday, November 1, 2024.

Meanwhile, he said that the government's opening of the sea sand export taps actually benefits Singapore. Bhima said that although the policy is legally regulated, the illegal process in terms of sea sand mining also benefits this country. "So if there is a clause for sand export, it's already clear that one of the countries that will benefit is Singapore," he said.

Bhima mentioned that the government should consider regulating sea sand mining since the case of sea sand theft arose. According to him, setting up legal regulations for this policy also has the same disadvantages for the country.

"Especially in the border area of Singapore, and this is clearly seen, the export of sea sand is very detrimental. So these illegal claims are also causing losses. So these two issues really need to be addressed," Bhima said.

He mentioned that the purpose of regulating the export of sea sand is not to increase the country's profits. Although, Bhima said, the government claims it is an effort to increase export revenue. "Especially if it's legalized, it doesn't mean that the country's revenue will increase, no, and this is not how Indonesia wants to increase export revenue," he said.

He believes that if the current regulations, known as marine sediment cleanup, remain in place, President Prabowo Subianto's goal of 8 percent economic growth will be difficult to achieve, including if different methods to realize the blue economy use the wrong mechanisms. "If illegal sand export continues, while later it will be legalized for export," Bhima said.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1936306/sea-sand-theft-costs-country-rp925-2-billio