Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore agreed yesterday to start coordinated air patrols over the pirate-infested Malacca Strait by next month to quell foreign jitters about security in the key shipping lane.
The chiefs of defense forces from the three nations announced the "Eyes in the Sky" plan after a two-day meeting in Kuala Lumpur with their counterpart from Thailand, saying it would bolster coordinated maritime patrols launched last year following rising cases of sea robberies and fears about a possible terrorist attack on ships.
"We want to show the international community that we are serious about securing the Malacca Strait," Indonesia's military commander General Endriartono Sutarto said at a news conference.
Piracy watch officials reported 37 attacks last year in the waterway, which is used by more than 50,000 ships a year, carrying half the world's oil and a third of its commerce.
Separately, Malaysian Defense Minister Najib Razak said that although the number of pirate attacks have "not reached critical proportions, we want to bring it down to almost zero."
He said governments outside the region could contribute planes and other equipment for the air patrols, since the three nations have insufficient aircraft for the mission.
"The reality is that we need more resources to ensure the level of security in the Straits of Malacca," Najib said. "The only way we can do it is to engage the international community, but not at the expense of principles of national sovereignty and territorial integrity."
He said the countries don't need sophisticated aircraft.
"We are talking about quite basic maritime patrol aircraft, with certain monitors, radars that can locate small crafts which are normally used by pirates," he said.
But any aircraft provided by other countries should remain in control and command of the littoral states, he said.
The US previously proposed sending troops to protect the 900km Strait, which many fear could become the next staging ground of international terrorists who might try to seize a ship, sail it into a harbor and set off a massive explosion.
But Washington's proposal met strong resistance from Malaysia and Indonesia, which said that they welcome other countries' offers to help them strengthen their defense capabilities, but not to intervene directly to boost security.
The military chiefs said yesterday they also oppose shipping firms using private security forces to escort commercial vessels through the Strait.
"There are better ways to deal with security," said Singapore's Lieutenant General Ng Yat Chung.
The Malaysian and Indonesian chiefs also voiced hopes of resolving "teething problems" in coordinated patrols to curb problems such as a bilateral dispute that rose after a Malaysian navy ship and helicopter stopped Indonesian marine police last week from detaining Malaysian trawlers suspected of illegally fishing in Indonesian waters in the Strait.
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