Indonesia denies Malacca Strait toll plan

Indonesia's Finance Minister, Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, has clarified that the country has no plan to impose tolls on ships passing through the strategic Strait of Malacca. The statement on Friday walks back his earlier comments earlier this week about monetizing the sea route, which had sparked international concern. The Strait of Malacca is one of the world's most critical shipping lanes, and any toll proposal would have major implications for global trade. Indonesia's official position now is to maintain the strait as a free and open waterway.