Posted on 10/14/2004 6:59:33 AM PDT by Calpernia
KUALA LUMPUR - Foreign powers must not dictate how Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia protect the Strait of Malacca shipping lanes from threats of piracy and terrorism, Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister said yesterday.
'The Strait of Malacca is ours to protect and preserve,' said Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is also Defence Minister, at a conference on improving security in the pirate-infested waters.
'There are those who forget that the countries bordering the Strait of Malacca - each of them sovereign nations in their own right - have the ultimate say over the protection and preservation of the strait,' he said.
Datuk Seri Najib did not name any country in his speech.
However, Admiral Thomas Fargo, commander of United States forces in the Pacific, said in March that an American plan to heighten security in the Strait of Malacca might require a detachment of elite US troops to be stationed nearby.
Datuk Seri Najib said any assumption that foreign countries whose ships pass through the Strait of Malacca can use them for military purposes 'reflects a lack of respect for the rights of littoral states and a misunderstanding of international law'.
Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia all have littoral areas, or coastlines, along the Strait of Malacca. About 50,000 ships ply the narrow passage each year.
The US has warned that terrorists could seize vessels for use as 'floating bombs' to blow up key ports or cities, although no such plots have been reported.
Indonesia's navy chief, Admiral Bernard Kent Sondakh, said in a recent media interview that terrorism and piracy threats in the strait were overblown.
He suggested that foreign governments, including Washington, were playing up the threat because they were interested in controlling the waterway for economic reasons.
'The world economy is now moving toward the Asia-Pacific. Whoever controls the Malacca Strait, the Sunda Straits and the Makassar Straits controls the economy of the Asia Pacific,' Datuk Seri Najib said.
The Sunda and Makassar straits are other waterways in the region.
About 20 pirate attacks were reported in the Strait of Malacca in the first six months of this year.
Joint naval patrols by the adjoining countries have curbed piracy, according to their officials. -- AP
Ping, thanks for the email.
Well, if the states had their littoral arzes in gear, it wouldn't even be a topic of discussion, now would it?
Yes, of course, he is correct. We are interested in controlling the waterway for economic reasons. The primary economic reason being the preservation of the free transit of commerce through that strategic waterway.
My estimate is that the concern is more about WHAT IS BEING SHIPPED DOWN THE STRAITS...not so much about piracy. Weapons for terrorists are probably a major trade in Malaysia and OTHER MUSLIM COUNTRIES.
bump!
If ASEAN countries become shills for Beijing, then we, the rest of the world will have our say. Vassal states of the PRC can stick it where the sun don't shine, covered in pig fat.
The more things change, the more they remain the same. The Barbary Pirates were the Islamic Terrorists of their day, using the Koran to justify the taking and killing of the infidels from various nations. The French bought them off (plus ca change...), but the fledgling United States stood and fought "To the shores of Tripoli", in the words of the Marine Hymn.
Thanks for that tidbit. Nice post.
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Weekly Piracy
Report
5 - 12 October
2004
Weekly Piracy Report
5 - 12 October 2004
The following is a summary of the daily reports
broadcast by the IMB's Piracy Reporting Centre to
ships in Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean Regions on
the SafetyNET service of Inmarsat-C from from 5 - 12
October 2004.
Recently reported incidents
Suspicious craft
06.10.2004 at 0945 LT in position 02:39N -
101:17E, Malacca Straits.
A dark brown hulled boat approached a
container ship underway and stopped in
vicinity. Boat then followed the ship in parallel
for ten minutes at 20 knots. Due to ship's
alertness, boat stopped following.
Actual or attempted attacks
08.10.2004 at 1002 LT in position: 00:18.67N
- 104:29.26E, Selat Riau, Indonesia.
Six armed masked men in a speedboat
attempted to board a tug towing a barge.
During the manoeuvre speedboat collided
against the tug and capsized. Tug continued
voyage.
Piracy prone areas and warnings
S E Asia and the Indian Sub Continent
Bangladesh: Chittagong at berth and anchorage.
India: Chennai
Indonesia: Anambas/Natuna Island, Balikpapan,
Belawan, Dumai, Gaspar/Bar/Leplia Str, Jakarta
(Tg.Priok), Vicinity of Bintan Island
Malacca straits: avoid anchoring along the
Indonesian coast of the straits. Coast near Aceh is
particularly risky for hijackings.
Malaysia : Sandakan
Singapore Straits
Africa and Red Sea
Gulf of Aden
Somalian Waters - eastern and northeastern coasts
have been high-risk areas for hijackings. Whilst there
have been no recent incidents, ships not making
scheduled calls to ports in these areas should stay
away from the coast.
West Africa: Abidjan, Conakry, Dakar, Douala, Lagos,
Luanda, Onne, Tema, Warri
South and Central America and the Caribbean
waters
Brazil - Belem
Colombia - Mamonal
Haiti - Port Au Prince
Venezuela - Guanta,
Secure-Ship
Secure-Ship is the most recent and effective
innovation in the fight against piracy. It is a
non-lethal, electrifying fence surrounding the whole
ship, which has been specially adapted for maritime
use. The fence uses 9,000-volt pulse to deter boarding
attempts. An intruder coming in contact with the fence
will receive an unpleasant non-lethal shock that will
result in the intruder abandoning the attempted
boarding. At the same time an alarm will go off,
activating floodlights and a very loud siren. The IMB
strongly recommends ship owners to install this device
on board their ships. Further details can be obtained at
www.secure-marine.com
ShipLoc
ShipLoc is an inexpensive satellite tracking system,
which allows shipping companies, armed only with a
personal computer with Internet access, to monitor the
exact location of their vessels. In addition to
anti-hijacking role, ShipLoc facilitates independent and
precise location of ships at regular intervals. ShipLoc is
fully compliant with the IMO Regulation SOLAS XI-2/6
adopted during the diplomatic conference in December
2002, concerning a Ship Security Alert System. The
ship security alert system regulation that will be put
into place as of July 2004, requires ships of over 500
GT to be equipped with an alarm system in order to
reinforce ship security. The system allows the crew, in
case of danger, to activate an alarm button that
automatically sends a message to the ship owner and
to competent authorities. The message is sent without
being able to be detected by someone on-board or by
other ships in the vicinity. ShipLoc is contained in a
small, discrete waterproof unit which includes: an
Argos transmitter, a GPS receiver, a battery pack in
case of main power failure, and a flat antenna.
ShipLoc,endorsed by the IMB, is the most reliable and
inexpensive system as of today. For more information,
please visit www.shiploc.com
Reporting of incidents
Ships are advised to maintain anti-piracy watches and
report all piratical attacks and suspicious movements
of craft to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre, Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel ++ 60 3 2078 5763
Fax ++ 60 3 2078 5769
Telex MA 31880 IMBPCI
24 Hours Anti Piracy HELPLINE Tel: ++ 60 3 2031
0014
E-mail imbkl@icc-ccs.org.uk
IMB Piracy Reporting Centre
Piracy maps 2003
Piracy maps 2002
Piracy maps 2001
Annual Piracy Report
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