Malaysia, RP begin maritime exercise<\/p>\n
Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur<\/p>\n
Hundreds of security personnel and a few warships from Malaysia
\nand neighboring Philippines began on Sunday a six-day military
\nexercise to wipe out terror activities such as piracy.<\/p>\n
The naval maneuver along their common waters is being
\nconducted in Sulu Sea off Malaysia's eastern Sabah state on
\nBorneo island where piracy, illegal fishing using bombs,
\nhijacking and smuggling are rampant.<\/p>\n
"The purpose of the annual maritime exercise is to prevent
\nillegal activities and to stop entry of Filipino illegal
\nimmigrants," First Adm. Noor Aziz Yunan, maritime director of the
\nMalaysian navy, told AFP.<\/p>\n
Up to half a million Filipinos live in Sabah, many of them
\nhaving entered illegally to work in the resources-rich territory.
\nMalaysia has deported thousands of Filipinos in recent months.<\/p>\n
The exercise which ends on May 17, is the seventh Malaysia-
\nPhilippines joint maritime coordinated border patrol, codenamed
\n"Phimal V11\/2002.<\/p>\n
Malaysia is to deploy two patrol vessels along with patrol
\ncraft of the marine police and customs department.<\/p>\n
Noor Aziz said some 500 personnel from both countries would
\nparticipate in the exercise.<\/p>\n
The Philippines would deploy one navy patrol vessel and two
\ngunboats, officials said.<\/p>\n
The joint exercise would also provide security personnel an
\nopportunity to exchange and share intelligence, Noor Aziz said.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines sealed a
\ntrilateral security pact in a bid to bolster cooperation to
\ncombat terrorism and cross-border crime in the region.<\/p>\n
A statement issued by Malaysia said a framework would be
\nestablished for "closer and more intensive collaboration" to
\ncombat transnational crimes, cross-border illegal activities and
\nterrorism.<\/p>\n
In a related development, Southeast Asian security ministers
\nwill assemble in Malaysia for two days from May 20 to chart ways
\nto improve cooperation in the war against terrorism.<\/p>\n
Malaysia's home (interior) ministry described the meeting as a
\nfirst step by Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in
\nresponse to the call by the international community to enhance
\ncooperation at the national, regional and international level and
\nfor global action against terrorism threats.<\/p>\n
In conjunction with the meeting, the annual ASEAN Senior
\nOfficials Meeting would be held for two days beginning May 16,
\nthe official Bernama news agency said late Saturday.<\/p>\n
The Southeast Asian ministers meeting comes just after
\nMalaysia played host to the Organization of Islamic Conference
\nterrorism meeting in April.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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