Joint efforts scare off the pirates

No pirate attacks have been recorded in the Straits of Malacca as at June this year due to enhanced cooperation between the countries in monitoring ships, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi.

He said the Malacca Straits Patrol initiative, formed five years ago, had proven to be a success in preventing such attacks on ships plying one of the world’s oldest and busiest shipping lanes.
“The joint exercise between countries in monitoring ships along the strait, which uses techniques such as the eye-in-the-sky aerial surveillance, has also brought economic benefits to the country,” he said after a courtesy call from Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean at the ministry here yesterday.
Zahid said marine insurance companies had lowered their premiums for ships using the route because the area was now considered safer.
“International companies have greater confidence to trade in the strait after we increased security in that area by our patrols,” he said.
Last year the Maritime Bureau Piracy Report recorded three cases of piracy in the Straits of Malacca while there were 10 cases in 2009.
Meanwhile, Air Forces chief General Tan Sri Rodzali Daud has clarified about Singapore aircraft violations into Malaysian airspace since 2008.
“The 2,058 violations into Malaysian airspace detected by the armed forces did not jeopardise our national security. We know of the violations and we sent our diplomatic protests accordingly,” he said.
He added that the violations by Singapore’s aircraft only occurred near Pulau Batu Puteh area and mainly involved training.
Source: The Star