Planned Joint Data Platform for Marine Spatial Utilization

The Director for Marine Spatial Planning Development at the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (“KKP”), Amehr Hakim, stated that the Government will strengthen regional regulations and data integration as important steps toward achieving sustainable marine governance. Mapping results produced by communities do not yet have policy authority, and therefore cannot be utilized in the preparation or revision of Spatial Plan (Rencana Tata Ruang - “RTR”).

“There is a need for a legal basis at the regional level that recognizes participatory maps. This will serve as a foundation for reviewing or formulating RTR,” Amehr said.

He emphasized that legal recognition of participatory mapping is crucial so that local community knowledge can be formally integrated into the national planning system. In this way, data produced by communities will no longer remain outside the policy framework.

In addition to strengthening the regulatory framework, Amehr also encouraged the establishment of a joint data platform to harmonize methodologies and data standards. This platform is expected to integrate community mapping outputs into the KKP’s official spatial planning information system.

There are technical challenges in this integration process, particularly relating to differences in data scale and formats, ranging from manual sketches to technology-based mapping outputs. Therefore, Amehr stated that standardization efforts are necessary to ensure that the resulting data is both socially acceptable and technically compliant.