ANR SPECIAL REPORT: ‘Don’t Tax the World’s Busiest Shipping Lane. Build the World’s Next Great City’
By Jamie McIntyre – Chief Editor, Australian National Review
LUX Property Group Founder Jamie McIntyre Calls for Six New Master-Planned Cities Across Indonesia, Including a New ‘Malacca City’
JAKARTA, Indonesia.
As geopolitical tensions continue to focus global attention on the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints, Australian National Review Chief Editor Jamie McIntyre believes Indonesia has a once-in-a-century opportunity to reshape its economic future.
Rather than imposing tolls on vessels using the Strait of Malacca, McIntyre argues Indonesia should create something far more valuable: an entirely new world-class city.
Recent international discussion surrounding possible transit fees through strategic waterways has placed renewed attention on the Malacca Strait, one of the world’s most critical maritime corridors. Indonesian officials have since reaffirmed that the government has no plans to impose tolls and remains committed to freedom of navigation, a position McIntyre says is the correct long-term strategy. (Reuters)
“The wealthiest nations don’t simply tax commerce,” McIntyre said.
“They become indispensable to commerce.”
The World’s Economic Superhighway
The Strait of Malacca is arguably the single most important shipping corridor on Earth.
Stretching approximately 900 kilometres between Sumatra, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, it connects the Indian and Pacific Oceans and provides the shortest maritime route between Europe, the Middle East and East Asia.
According to recent international shipping data:
* Nearly 22% of global maritime trade passes through the Strait.
* Around 23.2 million barrels of oil per day transit the waterway, representing approximately 29% of global seaborne oil shipments.
* More than 102,500 commercial vessels used the Strait during 2025, making it the busiest maritime chokepoint in the world. (Reuters)
Daripada pungut tarif transit di Selat Malaka, Indonesia harus bangun Malacca City—megakota baru pusat logistik, keuangan & perdagangan dunia! pic.twitter.com/KgLQhDBJC5
— Bali TV | Official (@balitv) July 15, 2026
