KL to cooperate on Malacca Straits security<\/p>\n
Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur<\/p>\n
Malaysia shares Singapore's concern over security in the Malacca
\nStraits and welcomes cooperation against terrorism short of the
\ndeployment of foreign forces, Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar
\nsaid on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The minister ruled out the idea of United States marines
\nhelping to patrol the vital waterway, which carries half the
\nworld's oil and a third of its trade, saying such a move would
\nprovoke Islamic militants.<\/p>\n
\"It must not be the placing of bases or surveillance on a
\npermanent basis along our waters because it will attract a
\ndifferent security threat from what we are used to,\" Syed Hamid
\ntold reporters, adding that Malaysia's approach to security in
\nthe strait differed only in style from Singapore and neighboring
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
\"Malaysia's position is not in contradiction to any other
\ncountry.\"<\/p>\n
The minister said collaboration and cooperation with other
\ncountries in ensuring the security of the narrow waterway, which
\nslices peninsular Malaysia and Singapore from the Indonesian
\nisland of Sumatra, was \"very much welcome.\"<\/p>\n
\"Malaysia believes it is always positive for us to have shared
\nresponsibilities, but this shared responsibility must not be at
\nthe expense of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the
\nlittoral states,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The minister said he believed that mistakes had been made in
\nresponse to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the U.S.<\/p>\n
\"We relied heavily on a military solution to the problem
\nwithout looking at the root causes of that terrorist incident,\"
\nsaid Syed Hamid.<\/p>\n
\"Unfortunately, we have yet to learn that security could not
\nbe achieved solely through enforcement and military solutions. We
\nmust address the underlying causes and the environment that
\nbreeds terrorism,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Malaysian Defense Minister Najib Razak said in Singapore on
\nSunday that Malaysia would work more closely with the U.S.
\nagainst regional terrorism, but insisted U.S. forces would not be
\nallowed to join \"interdiction\" operations in the straits.<\/p>\n
The presence of foreign forces in the region would fuel
\nreligious fanaticism, he warned, and \"set us back in our
\nideological battle against extremism and militancy\".<\/p>\n
Najib told a regional security conference that he would meet
\nwith the commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific, Admiral Thomas
\nFargo, this month to discuss maritime security.<\/p>\n
Fargo suggested in April that one option under consideration
\nwas putting marines and special operations forces aboard high
\nspeed vessels in the strait.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/kl-to-cooperate-on-malacca-straits-security-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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