By Jan Dahinten
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Malaysia welcomed on Sunday foreign support in managing security in the Strait of Malacca, but said local states were capable of policing the narrow sea lane which carries 30 percent of world trade.
The remarks signal a softening of Malaysia's stance on foreign involvement in the protection of the straits, through which about 50,000 ships, carrying half the world's oil, pass every year.
It was widely reported last year that U.S. special forces or the Marines could be used as part of efforts to enhance security in the strait, provoking opposition from both Malaysia and Indonesia, which straddle the key waterway.
The International Maritime Bureau recorded 37 attacks on vessels in the Malacca Strait in 2004. Most Malacca Strait attacks occur in Malaysian or Indonesian waters.
"Malaysia is steadfast in our belief that the littoral states are capable of patrolling the straits without external intervention," Malaysian Defence Minister Najib Razak told a regional security conference in Singapore.
But he added that "Malaysia believes in the need for greater cooperation and wider support -- be it financial, operational or strategic -- in enhancing security in the Straits of Malacca".
On Friday, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong warned the same conference that terrorists were eyeing the strait and that blowing up a ship could block the passage for weeks.
A staunch U.S. ally, Singapore has riled its neighbours Indonesia and Malaysia in the past by calling for American help in policing the Malacca Strait.
Lee also urged nations using the sea route to provide security units but added that the involvement of non-littoral states was a sensitive matter and that the issue would be discussed at a meeting of foreign ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore soon.
Michael Richardson, a maritime security expert with the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, told Reuters that Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia have come to a better understanding on how to deter both pirate and terrorist attacks in the strait.
"A year ago, Malaysia and Indonesia had serious concerns. They did not want international participation to override national sovereignty," he said.
"The three coastal states now have a better understanding about how they should cooperate among themselves on straits security and on how to seek assistance to make this vital waterway more secure for shipping," Richardson said.
About 80 percent of Japan's oil needs are carried through the straits, and Singapore is a major base for Western businesses in Asia and its busy container port lies at the southern end of the strait.
