BIG READ: Why Indonesia will battle to become a global maritime power again
The age-old shipbuilding tradition is often considered irrelevant in a world dominated by finance capitalism
In a world dominated by economics-speak, and of accepting the world as it is, it becomes easy to ignore history and society, artisanal craft and all those little big things that make our world a fabulous and fascinating place. These were the thoughts that went through my mind while I was sat on a small island in an estuary on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, trying to regain my senses (and sense of balance) after a journey across the South China Sea during the last weeks of the monsoon season, about three months ago.
In this shaken state, I tossed around the information about reconsidering, and redesigning, global supply chains and maritime (trade) routes; from the Trumpian vision to remake the global political economy, to the idea of a land bridge across Thailand to avoid sailing around the Malaysian peninsula and then up through the Strait of Malacca towards India and across the Indian Ocean. ..
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