By David Boey
Defence Correspondent
It rules out foreign patrols but invites Thailand to join coordinated ones
Malaysia has called on countries that use the Malacca Strait to offer "concrete contributions to boost security in the busy sea lane, but firmly rejected allowing foreign warships to prowl the area.
Addressing the 4th Shangri-La Dialogue security conference, which ended yesterday, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Najib Tun Razak said Malaysia welcomes assistance in the form of training and equipment to enhance its operations.
However, "Malaysia is steadfast in its belief that the littoral states are capable of patrolling the strait without external intervention" he added.
Every year, an estimated 55,000 ships pass through the congested and pirate-ridden strait, through which about half the world's oil and one-third of the world's trade flows.
Malaysia and Indonesia have consistently rejected calls by foreign countries to allow other countries' vessels to help patrol the strait.
Datuk Seri Najib also reiterated Malaysia's firm stance on the use of armed private escort services, which have been employed by several shipping companies in recent months to accompany their vessels through the strait.
"The role of private security companies should he con-trolled and regulated and they should not impinge on our national sovereignty," he said.
Although unmoved on his position towards foreign warship patrols, the minister did announce a surprise invitation to the Royal Thai Navy to take part in coordinated naval patrols in the Malacca Strait.
He said that Thai warships could "enhance security along the approaches to the strait", particularly on its northern end where the sea lane enters the Indian Ocean.
He said that since these patrols began in July last year, pirate attacks had fallen by 25 per cent.
The London-based International Maritime Bureau logged four pirate attacks in the strait between January and March this year, down from eight attacks in the same period last year.
So far, the coordinated patrols have involved warships from Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Datuk Seri Najib and United States Navy Admiral William Fallon, commander US Pacific Command, were speaking during the security forum's final session, entitled Enhancing Maritime Security Cooperation.
The minister's 10-minute speech to about 250 defence ministers, policymakers and security analysts from 20 or so countries, fuelled debate on what countries can contribute.
Vice-Admiral (Retired) Hideaki Kaneda, a special research adviser with a Japan-based think tank, floated the idea of using Japanese warships or coastguard vessels to help protect the strait.
But Datuk Seri Najib said Malaysia "wouldn't want foreign ships to be protecting their own ships".
"We should be protecting you. We shouldn't allow your ships to be threatened"
Adm Fallon said the US was prepared to send mobile training teams to countries that wanted to boost their maritime security capabilities.
Yesterday, Datuk Seri Najib suggested littoral states explore alternative ways to deter piracy.
"These could include placing law enforcement personnel on vessels travelling through the strait, plus working together to seek out and detain pirates at source rather than on the high seas."
