Strengthening Nunukan’s Border Economy for National Resilience at the Indonesia-Malaysia Frontier
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55960/jlri.v13i3.1427Keywords:
Asta Gatra, Border Economic Resilience, Cross Border Trade, National Resilience, NunukanAbstract
Purpose: This study develops an economic-resilience strategy for Nunukan, an Indonesian border regency whose economic life is closely connected with Tawau and Sebatik at the Indonesia–Malaysia frontier. It reframes border development from a predominantly security and infrastructure agenda into an economic pillar of national resilience.
Study Design/Methodology/Approach: A qualitative case-study and structured document analysis was undertaken using peer-reviewed literature published from 2015 to February 2025, the authors’ earlier border-development study, official regulations, and BPS-Statistics Indonesia data available by 28 February 2025.
Findings: Nunukan’s 2024 economy reached IDR40.54 trillion in nominal GRDP and grew 4.03 per cent, while 5.73 per cent of the population remained below the poverty line and cross-border communities continued to depend on Malaysian markets and supply chains. The analysis identifies four resilience priorities: productive diversification, reliable domestic logistics, formalised but facilitative cross-border trade, and institutional coordination.
Originality/Value: The article proposes a border economic-resilience framework linking local welfare, market connectivity, adaptive capacity, and national resilience, with policy implications for Nunukan and comparable Indonesian frontier regions.
References
Agusriyanti, R., Pratiwi, S. R., Rahmawati, M., Putri, F. C., & Kartini. (2024). Analisis permintaan barang dan jasa di wilayah perbatasan Kabupaten Nunukan (Studi kasus: Pulau Sebatik). Jurnal Ekonomika, 15(1), 56–63. https://doi.org/10.35334/jek.v0i0.4668
Anuar, A. R. (2016). Rubrik pembangunan pekan sempadan Malaysia–Kalimantan: Tawau-Pulau Nunukan. Journal of Borneo Social Transformation Studies, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.51200/jobsts.v1i1.138
Asian Development Bank. (2022). Integrated approach to trade and transport facilitation: Measuring readiness for sustainable, inclusive, and resilient trade. https://doi.org/10.22617/TCS220596-2
BIMP-EAGA. (2017). BIMP-EAGA Vision 2025. BIMP-EAGA Facilitation Center. https://bimp-eaga.asia/sites/default/files/publications/bimp-eaga-vision-2025.pdf
BPS-Statistics Indonesia. (2025). Indeks kedalaman kemiskinan dan indeks keparahan kemiskinan menurut daerah.
BPS-Statistics Indonesia, Nunukan Regency. (2023, December 4). Rilis tahap 1 Sensus Pertanian 2023. https://nunukankab.bps.go.id/id/news/2023/12/04/40/rilis-tahap-1-sensus-pertanian-2023.html
BPS-Statistics Indonesia, Nunukan Regency. (2024, December 18). Persentase penduduk miskin Kabupaten Nunukan pada Maret 2024 adalah 5,73 persen dengan jumlah penduduk miskin 12,61 ribu orang [Press release]. https://nunukankab.bps.go.id/id/pressrelease/2024/12/18/488/-nunukan-persentase-penduduk-miskin-kabupaten-nunukan-pada-maret-2024-adalah-5-73-dengan-jumlah-penduduk-miskin-12-61-ribu-orang-.html
BPS-Statistics Indonesia, Nunukan Regency. (2025a). Nunukan Regency in Figures 2025. https://nunukankab.bps.go.id/en/publication/2025/02/28/a14607104a11887045f1fd64/kabupaten-nunukan-dalam-angka-2025.html
BPS-Statistics Indonesia, Nunukan Regency. (2025b, March 3). Perkembangan Indeks Harga Konsumen Kabupaten Nunukan Februari 2025 [Press release]. https://nunukankab.bps.go.id/id/pressrelease/2025/03/03/552/-nunukan--perkembangan-indeks-harga-konsumen-kabupaten-nunukan-februari-2025.html
BPS-Statistics Indonesia, Nunukan Regency. (2025c, March 25). Pertumbuhan ekonomi Kabupaten Nunukan Triwulan IV-2024 [Press release]. https://nunukankab.bps.go.id/id/pressrelease/2025/03/25/553/-nunukan--pertumbuhan-ekonomi-kabupaten-nunukan-triwulan-iv-2024.html
Carlin, W., & Soskice, D. W. (2015). Macroeconomics: Institutions, instability, and the financial system. Oxford University Press. https://books.google.co.id/books?id=sIJ1BQAAQBAJ
Evenhuis, E. (2017). New directions in researching regional economic resilience and adaptation. Geography Compass, 11(11), e12333. https://doi.org/10.1111/gec3.12333
Giri, J. R., Sundari, S., & Haetami, H. (2024). Pembangunan Terpadu Daerah Penyangga Depan Di Wilayah Perbatasan Kabupaten Nunukan-Malaysia Guna Mendukung Ketahanan Nasional. Nusantara: Jurnal Ilmu Pengetahuan Sosial, 11(2), 567-572. https://doi.org/10.31604/jips.v11i2.2024.567-572
Hippe, S., Bertram, D., & Chilla, T. (2024). Convergence and resilience in border regions. European Planning Studies, 32(1), 186-207.. https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2023.2170214
Krugman, P. R., Obstfeld, M., & Melitz, M. J. (2018). International economics: Theory and policy (11th ed.). Pearson https://books.google.co.id/books?id=HiLwswEACAAJ
Kurnia, M. P. (2018). Strategi optimalisasi perdagangan lintas batas Indonesia Malaysia untuk meningkatkan kesejahteraan masyarakat Pulau Sebatik Kabupaten Nunukan. Jurnal Supremasi, 7(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.35457/supremasi.v7i1.372
Kurniasih, D., & Umar, M. (2022). Pengaruh Implementasi Kebijakan Kawasan Perbatasan Indonesia-Malaysia Terhadap Efektivitas Ketahanan Wilayah di Kabupaten Nunukan Provinsi Kalimantan Utara. Jurnal Ketahanan Nasional, 8(1), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.22146/jkn.73004
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2020). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (4th ed.). SAGE Publications. https://books.google.co.id/books?id=lCh_DwAAQBAJ
Morgan, H. (2022). Conducting a qualitative document analysis. The qualitative report, 27(1), 64-77. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2022.5044
Mubarak, M. M. (2021). Analisis Evaluasi Ketersediaan Infrastruktur Pada Kawasan Perbatasan Indonesia-Malaysia (Kasus Kabupaten Nunukan). Indonesian Journal of Spatial Planning, 2(1), 45-53. https://doi.org/10.26623/ijsp.v2i1.3192
Pascariu, G. C., Kourtit, K., & Tiganasu, R. (2020). Regional development, spatial resilience and geographical borders. Regional Science Policy & Practice, 12(5), 749-754. https://doi.org/10.1111/rsp3.12351
Pindyck, R. S., & Rubinfeld, D. L. (2018). Microeconomics (9th ed.). Pearson. https://books.google.co.id/books?id=aKM0vgAACAAJ
Putra, A. (2015). Hubungan kerjasama perbatasan Indonesia-Malaysia (Studi kasus perbatasan Nunukan-Tawau). Jurnal Hukum Ius Quia Iustum, 22(2), 308-326. https://doi.org/10.20885/iustum.vol22.iss2.art8
Raharjo, S. N. I., & Anuar, A. A. (2022). Transnationalism of Sebatik Island Malaysia-Indonesia: A regional economic integration perspective. In Proceedings of the First Australian International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management, Sydney, Australia. https://doi.org/10.46254/AU01.20220227
Republik Indonesia. (2008). Undang-Undang Republik Indonesia Nomor 43 Tahun 2008 tentang Wilayah Negara. https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/39738/uu-no-43-tahun-2008
Republik Indonesia. (2022). Peraturan Presiden Republik Indonesia Nomor 118 Tahun 2022 tentang Rencana Induk Pengelolaan Batas Wilayah Negara dan Kawasan Perbatasan Tahun 2020-2024. https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/227519/perpres-no-118-tahun-2022
Republik Indonesia. (2025). Peraturan Presiden Republik Indonesia Nomor 12 Tahun 2025 tentang Rencana Pembangunan Jangka Menengah Nasional Tahun 2025-2029. https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/314638/perpres-no-12-tahun-2025
Saldaña, J. (2021). The coding manual for qualitative researchers (4th ed.). SAGE Publications. https://books.google.co.id/books?id=msuOE0UfXpUC
Sarjono, F., Talib, K. A., & Chan, S. K. (2022). The Smokol phenomenon in Malaysia-Indonesia cross-border informal trade at Sebatik Island. JATI-Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, 27(2), 48-72. https://doi.org/10.22452/jati.vol27no2.3
Sensier, M., Bristow, G., & Healy, A. (2016). Measuring regional economic resilience across Europe: Operationalizing a complex concept. Spatial Economic Analysis, 11(2), 128-151. https://doi.org/10.1080/17421772.2016.1129435
Sensier, M., Rafferty, A., & Devine, F. (2024). The economic resilience scorecard: regional policy responses for crises recovery. Regional Studies, 58(9), 1754-1766. https://doi.org/10.1080/00343404.2023.2234950
Shafitri, N., Zulham, A., & Muawanah, U. (2020). Masyarakat pesisir dan perilakunya terhadap jaringan usaha perikanan: Studi kasus daerah perbatasan di Kabupaten Nunukan. Buletin Ilmiah Marina Sosial Ekonomi Kelautan dan Perikanan, 6(1), 61-71. https://doi.org/10.15578/marina.v6i1.8721
Sutton, J., & Arku, G. (2022). Regional economic resilience: towards a system approach. Regional Studies, Regional Science, 9(1), 497-512. https://doi.org/10.1080/21681376.2022.2092418
Sutton, J., Arcidiacono, A., Torrisi, G., & Arku, R. N. (2023). Regional economic resilience: A scoping review. Progress in Human Geography, 47(4), 500-532. https://doi.org/10.1177/03091325231174183
Tangka, N. J., Hermawan, R., Setiyono, K. Y., & Pulungan, A. S. (2025). Climate change mitigation and disaster preparedness in Indonesia’s outermost islands. Jurnal Lemhannas RI, 13(2), 231–245. https://doi.org/10.55960/jlri.v13i2.1245
Veronika, N. W. (2016). Regional Economic Integration for Improving Cross-Border Area in Sebatik Island. International & Diplomacy, 2(1), 69-82. https://jurnalhiusni.org/index.php/idu/article/view/113
World Bank. (2021). Global economic prospects, June 2021. World Bank. https://doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-1665-9
Yanti, B. V. I., & Muawanah, U. (2020). Dinamika kesepakatan perdagangan lintas batas antara Indonesia dan Malaysia dan pengembangan Sentra Kelautan dan Perikanan Terpadu (SKPT) Sebatik di Kalimantan Utara. Jurnal Kebijakan Sosial Ekonomi Kelautan Dan Perikanan, 10(1), 53-63. https://doi.org/10.15578/jksekp.v10i1.8318
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications (Vol. 6, pp. 200-224). Thousand Oaks, CA: sage.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Kup Yanto Setiono, Joseph Robert Giri
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.