Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore are united in upholding the principle of free passage but this must be ‘actively maintained’, analysts say
4-MIN READ4-MIN ListenMaria SiowPublished: 3:58pm, 28 Apr 2026Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East has turned the spotlight on a strategic waterway thousands of miles away in Southeast Asia, with littoral states having different ideas on how to control their stake.
A day later, Foreign Minister Sugiono said Jakarta would not impose tariffs on vessels passing through the strait as doing so would not be consistent with international law.
Then, over the weekend, Maritime Security Agency chief Irvansyah called the strait a “giant sea toll road” that Indonesia had not fully utilised.
