VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Every December 13, Indonesia commemorates Nusantara Day, the archipelago day. This commemoration is to commemorate the service offormer Prime Minister, Djoeanda Kartawidjaja who bravely declared on 13 December 1957 that the Indonesian sea was included in the surrounding sea, between and within the Indonesian archipelago to become a unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia -NKRI. Nusantara Day was officially stipulatedby the 5th President of the Republic of Indonesia, Megawati Soekarnoputri through Presidential Decree No.126 / 2001.

The present generation deserves to be grateful, because without the Djoeanda Declaration, Indonesia's sea territory only covers the sea three miles from the coastline that surrounds the islands in Indonesia. Thus, among the Indonesian islands there is a free international sea, which separates one island from another and this means a threat to the NKRI. In addition, without the Djoeanda Declaration, Indonesia's marine wealth potential is only around 1/3 of its current potential.

Chairperson of the Indonesian Farmers and Fishermen Movement, Prof. Rokhmin Dahuri said that Indonesia has a huge economic potential in the marine sector. If the economic potential of the marine sector is managed optimally, these economic potentials can reach US$1.2 trillion dollars per year and are estimated to be able to employ 40 million people.

Based on the theme of the Archipelago Day 2018 commemoration, "The Realization of the Whole Unity of the Archipelago through the Juanda Declaration", the commemoration of the Nusantara Day is very important for the present generation to unite the feeling of being Indonesian citizens, considering the threat of national disintegration and separatism is still a threat to the NKRI.

 In addition, the commemoration of the Archipelago Day is very important to remind all components of the Indonesian nation that maritime power is a source of Indonesian nation's strength. Indonesian sea not only unites, connects islands to islands, but also has a large source of wealth. Indonesia still has to work hard to enhance the economic potential of the marine sector so that it can become a source of people's welfare.