Q: What are the some of the issues you discussed?
Minister: We basically discussed around three issues. One, we continued the discussion which we had at the last plenary session we had just before lunch on the Korean Peninsula, and then broadened that out into sort of the security situation in the region as a whole. The intention was not to come to any conclusions but to have a better mutual understanding of the different perspectives.
We also discussed the issue of extremism and terrorism and we shared some different perspectives with different countries on how they are dealing with this problem. The Philippines, for example, was able to share its perspective on how it was dealing with matters in the southern Philippines, in particular, with the peace talks that are going on with the MILF.
The last subject which we discussed was maritime security, particularly in the Malacca Straits, and a number of different countries were able to express their views. It’s a matter which is of concern to many of the countries which are here. There seems to be a consensus of forming around three general principles on how we can deal with maritime security in the Malacca Straits. The first principle is that the primary responsibility for security in the Straits lies with the littoral states. The second principle is that the international community and user states have a role to play. And this brings us to the third principle that whatever it is that we do for maritime security in the Straits ought to be fully consistent with international law, as well as respectful of the sovereignty of the states. I think that within the parameters of these three guidelines, it gives us quite a lot of room in order to devise useful, practical, and creative solutions to see how we can improve security in the Straits.
Q: Minister, yesterday Prime Minister talked about specific maritime targets in his speech. He said that terrorists were looking at specific targets. Can you elaborate a bit on that and which terrorists are you actually referring to?
Minister: Well we do know that the JI, some of those whom we had interdicted and stopped from carrying out their plans. The JI had cased a number of targets several years ago – ships transiting to the north of Singapore, for example, in the Johor Straits.
Q: For a floating bomb?
Minister: Well they were looking at attacking some of the ships.
Q: So you are saying that there is a greater acceptance for the need for international cooperation in protecting the regional waters? Are you saying that Indonesia and Malaysia can be more accepting on more international help on this issue?
Minister: Well I would say that the Shangri-La Dialogues have sort of assisted the process forward. If you recall that last year at the Shangri-La dialogue, this was an issue which ceased many of the participants and our Indonesian counterpart, General Sutarto, made the proposal that we should have trilateral coordinated patrols – a proposal which he actually carried through to fruition, and today we do have trilateral coordinated patrols between Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. It’s a step forward. It doesn’t completely solve this problem, but it is an important step forward and I see that we need to find more creative ways to have effective security in the Straits.
Q: What kind of creative ways are you referring to?
Minister: Well, an example is the IMO is calling for a meeting in Jakarta later this year. I think the user states may have some way of helping with capacity building, there may be possibilities on how we can cooperate better in patrolling, there may be ways of information sharing, for example the ReCAAP, the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Anti Piracy in Asia between 16 countries, have agreed to set up an Information Sharing Centre, so how can we move that forward, how can we make use of the information that is collected at the Information Sharing Centre to have more effective measures for security.
Q: What about user states who want to use private armed escorts?
Minister: I think that has to conform with the third principle, that means in accordance with international law and respectful of the sovereignty of the littoral states.
Q: Minister, have you moved any closer to making a decision about the fighter planes?
Minister: This is still progressing and we should do so in due course, we expect in a few months time.
Q: Minister, just one other quick question on maritime security. Joint patrols are still off the cards?
Minister: We now have what we call coordinated patrols, in which each of the countries patrol in their own waters. I would not rule them out, but it is matter which has to be discussed between the littoral states.
Q: Does there need to be hardware upgrade, some of the patrol ships are just old?
Minister: You’re quite right, so that is part of the capacity building that is needed. So, one example where Indonesia and Singapore have recently cooperated just two weeks ago, Indonesia and Singapore had an agreement where we now share our surface picture – Project SURPIC, where the picture which Singapore has in the Singapore Straits is available now to the Indonesian forces in Pulau Batam, to the south of Singapore. So we will be able to coordinate our activities much better that way
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Q: The Japanese minister talked about the possibility of sending ships here in August, what exercise would that be?
Minister: In August, I believe he may be talking about a PSI exercise, Proliferation Security Initiative exercise, where a number of countries will come together to practise and work through some of the procedures that may be needed in the case of say, interdiction of vessels and so on.
Q: Will Singapore be hosting that for the first time?
Minister: Singapore will be hosting that for the first time, the PSI exercise, and that will be the first PSI exercise in Southeast Asia. Of course there have been PSI exercises held in other places. In Japan for example, they recently hosted one.
