Malacca Strait safe for ships: KL<\/p>\n
Malaysia on Monday said the Malacca Strait was safe for
\nseafarers, playing down the fears of some regional governments
\nwhich believe the vital waterway is a tempting target for
\nterrorists.<\/p>\n
Transport Minister Chan Kong Choy said joint air patrols with
\nSingapore, Malaysia and Thailand to be launched on Tuesday would
\nfurther bolster security in the strait.<\/p>\n
"The strait is very safe and the agreement is to beef up
\nexisting joint efforts in safeguarding the security of the
\nstrait," he was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.<\/p>\n
"To say it's dangerous, exposed to all kinds of threat, it's
\nexaggeration," he added.<\/p>\n
Defense ministers from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and
\nThailand on Tuesday will sign an agreement to launch the "eye in
\nthe skies" air patrols.<\/p>\n
The three littoral states of Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore
\nhave already begun coordinated sea patrols but agreed last month
\nto boost surveillance with joint air patrols.<\/p>\n
The Malacca Strait is one of the world's most important
\nwaterways, with 50,000 ships carrying about one-third of the
\nglobe's trade passing through it each year.<\/p>\n
However the strait, 960 kilometers long and 1.2 kilometers
\nwide at its narrowest, is vulnerable to pirate attacks and some
\ngovernments in the region also believe it is a tempting target
\nfor terrorists.<\/p>\n
Last month Malaysia urged an international insurance body to
\nremove the Malacca Strait from a list of waterways deemed
\ndangerous, saying ships were safe from terror attacks and piracy
\nwas contained.<\/p>\n
Malaysia is fast expanding its ports such as Port Klang that
\nsits on the Malacca Strait.<\/p>\n
An international insurance body has declared the strait
\ndangerous and some underwriters may impose additional premiums
\nfor ships plying the strait, which could affect traffic at
\nMalaysian ports.<\/p>\n
The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has listed the strait,
\nand the waters around Indonesia, as among the world's worst for
\npiracy, and some regional governments believe ships could be
\ntargeted by terrorists. -- AFP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/malacca-strait-safe-for-ships-kl-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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