Abstract:
The Abu Sayyaf group is a militant group originating from Mindanao, Southern Philippines
that has committed acts of ship hijacking and crew hostage taking in the Sulu Sea region. The
Sulu Sea is an area located on the border of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines as a center
of economic activity known to be rich in fishery resources so that many fishing vessels sail
there. In addition, the Sulu Sea is also a trade route that is always passed by Indonesian cargo
ships loaded with natural resource products. Therefore, the existence of the Abu Sayyaf Group
is a maritime security threat for Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines so that there needs to
be cooperation between the three countries to overcome the threats that occur in the Sulu Sea,
namely through the Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement. This research uses a descriptive
qualitative method by referring to reliable sources such as books, journals, official websites,
and data obtained from official news information, speeches, statements, and government
arguments. By analyzing using the theory of neorealism, maritime security and transnational
crime, the author found that the security of the Sulu Sea is very important for the Indonesian
economy so that Indonesia seeks to implement Indonesia's Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement
cooperation to maintain marine security in the Sulu Sea from transnational crime by the Abu
Sayyaf Group.
