Indonesian Maritime Security Agency

The Indonesian Maritime Security Agency () is a maritime patrol and rescue agency of the Republic of Indonesia. BAKAMLA is a non-ministerial government institution which reports directly to the President through Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs. BAKAMLA's duty is to conduct security and safety patrols in the territorial waters of Indonesia and the jurisdiction of Indonesia. Previously BAKAMLA was a non-structural institution called the Coordinating Agency for the Security of the Republic of Indonesia (). The agency is not part or associated with the Indonesian National Armed Forces, although its top-ranking leadership are handpicked from the Indonesian Navy. BAKAMLA and the Indonesian Navy, however, often conduct exercises and joint-operation together. While during search-and-rescue operations, BAKAMLA also conduct joint-operations with the National Search and Rescue Agency.
President Joko Widodo officially announced the establishment of BAKAMLA to coincide with the 2014 Nusantara Day celebration held in Kotabaru, South Kalimantan. During the occasion, the President mentioned that BAKAMLA would be coordinated by the Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security. Meanwhile, in the management and utilization of marine resources, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs would coordinate with the Coordinating Minister for the Ministry of Maritime Affairs.
BAKAMLA is not associated with the Indonesia Sea and Coast Guard (). While the former is under the jurisdiction of the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, the latter is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transportation. Both of them however has similar roles and functions.
History.
Maritime Security Coordinating Board or Badan Koordinasi Keamanan Laut initially had been formed in 1972 through a joint decree of the Minister of Defense and Security / Commander of the Armed Forces, Ministry of Communications, Ministry of Finance, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, No. KEP/B/45/XII/1972; SK/901/M/1972; KEP.779/MK/III/12/1972; J.S.8 /72/1; KEP-085/J.A/12/1972 on the Establishment of Marine Safety Coordinating Board and the Joint Command Operations Marine Safety.
Due to changes on governance and development of the strategic environment today, Maritime Security Coordinating Board requires refreshment to improve coordination among various government agencies in the field of maritime security. Hence, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs issued decree, No. KEP.05 / Menko / Polkam / 2/2003, of establishment of a working group Development Planning security and Law Enforcement at Sea. And through a series of seminars and cross-sectoral coordination meeting, then on 29 December 2005, it was determined the Presidential Regulation No. 81 Year 2005 on Maritime Security Coordinating Board ("Badan Koordinasi Keamanan Laut/ Bakorkamla") as the legal basis of the Maritime Security Coordinating Board.
Following the enactment of Law No. 32 Year 2014 concerning the Marine, Bakorkamla officially renamed the Maritime Security Agency or Badan Kemananan Laut (BAKAMLA). Legal basis for BAKAMLA was then reinforced by the issuance of Presidential Regulation No. 178 of 2014 on Maritime Security Agency.
Function.
The task of BAKAMLA is to conduct security and safety patrols in the territorial waters of Indonesia and the jurisdiction of Indonesia.
According to Presidential Regulation No. 178 of 2014 on Maritime Security Agency, BAKAMLA has the authority to: a. conduct an immediate pursuit; b. dismiss, examine, arrest, carry, and deliver vessels to relevant authorities for further legal process execution; and c. synergize the information system of security and safety in the territorial waters of Indonesia and the jurisdiction of Indonesia.
Organisation.
According to presidential decree No. 178/ 2014, the organisation structure of the BAKAMLA comprises the following components:
Academy.
The Marine Safety and Security Academy (Indonesian: "Akademi Keselamatan dan Keamanan Laut, AKKL") is the main training institute for BAKAMLA candidates. The academy is located within the area of Naval Doctrine, Education, and Training Development Command ("Kodiklatal"), Bumimoro, Surabaya. The AKKL (Marine Safety and Security Academy) is a breakthrough of the Marine Security Agency (BAKAMLA) in preparing qualified human resources in the field of marine security and marine education for three years.
AKKL is paramilitary academy and its graduates will get diploma certificate, the establishment of AAKL is due to cooperation between BAKAMLA and the Navy. AKKL's campus is located inside the Kodiklatal for Dormitory and Classroom, and the early warning system skill laboratory is located at Naval Academy (AAL) Bumi Moro, Moro Krembangan, Surabaya. The requirements to become AKKL cadets are as followse: male with age 22 years or below, high school graduate, physically and mentally fit, proven to have good behaviour and passed the selection test.
Operational areas.
The operational area of BAKAMLA is the Indonesian Maritime Zone which is divided into three maritime zones:
In the future, BAKAMLA will increase the base or maritime zone spread over Indonesian waters by building seven more maritime zones to support the marine security sector. Seven maritime zones to be built in North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Cilacap, Makassar, Balikpapan, Natuna, Sorong, and Merauke. Each maritime base will have long-range radar stations and satellites to support operations. In addition, it will also be equipped with surveillance equipment and information from the satellite, which can monitor anyone entering Indonesian waters.
Equipment.
Vessels.
All of the vessels are currently built domestically
Weaponry.
BAKAMLA has been issued some light weaponry (such as AK-47) to be used in times of emergency, such as when BAKAMLA personnel are threatened or under attack. As BAKAMLA is not part of the Indonesian National Armed Forces and have different roles and functions, they are not issued with heavy weaponry.
Rank Structure.
The BAKAMLA uses a similar ranking system with Indonesian Navy. The difference between navy and BAKAMLA rank are the usage of special title (BAKAMLA uses special title of "Bakamla" for every personnel, while navy uses "(TNI)" for high-ranking officer and branch/corps abbreviation for other officer and enlisted personnel) and BAKAMLA does not have a rank higher than a Vice admiral as Vice Admiral is the rank of the head of the agency. Despite similarity on the title, BAKAMLA uses different insignia. Indonesian National Armed Forces personnel, Indonesian National Police personnel or other civil servant who are assigned to BAKAMLA are given BAKAMLA rank which are correspond to his/her original rank.
Note: BAKAMLA is not part of Indonesian National Armed Forces and Indonesia is not a member of NATO, so there is no official equivalence between BAKAMLA ranks and those defined by NATO. The displayed parallel is approximate and for illustration purposes only.