Show of force launched to protect vital strait<\/p>\n
Fadli\/Endy M. Bayuni, On board the 'KRI Tanjung Dalpele',
\nStrait of Malacca<\/p>\n
Seventeen warships from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore,
\nsailing in formation, passed the KRI Tanjung Dalpele on Tuesday
\nin a clear show of force as the three countries' navies began a
\ncoordinated patrol aimed at stamping out piracy in the Strait of
\nMalacca.<\/p>\n
Launching the Malsindo, a 24\/7 all-year round operation,
\nIndonesia's Military Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said the
\ndoor was open for other countries that have an interest in the
\nsafety and security of the strait, a vital international shipping
\nlane, to take part either directly or indirectly.<\/p>\n
The three littoral states would welcome offers of support and
\nassistance from other countries, in the form of equipment or
\ntraining, he said. \"If they want to join, it should first be
\napproved by all three countries.\"<\/p>\n
Also on board the KRI Tanjung Dalpele were Endriartono's
\ncounterparts Gen. Zahidi Zainuddin of Malaysia and Lt. Gen. Ng
\nYat Chung of Singapore, and the three navy chiefs, admirals
\nBernard Kent Sondakh of Indonesia, Mohd. Anwar Mohd. Nor of
\nMalaysia and Ronny Tay of Singapore.<\/p>\n
The coordinated operation is the result of months of
\nnegotiations -- some conducted at golf clubs, according to one
\nsenior Navy officer -- between the three navy chiefs as they
\nsought to resolve the growing problem of piracy.<\/p>\n
The Strait of Malacca, linking the Indian Ocean with the South
\nChina Sea, is a narrow 600-kilometer stretch of water used by
\nmore than 50,000 commercial shipping companies each year,
\ncarrying more than one-third of the global shipping trade and
\none-half of the world's crude oil shipment.<\/p>\n
All Japan's crude oil needs come from ships that pass through
\nthe strait. South Korea and China also rely extensively on crude
\nsupplies shipped through it.<\/p>\n
The International Maritime Bureau, an arm of the Paris-based
\nInternational Chamber of Commerce, said that in 2003, there were
\n28 pirate attacks in the Strait of Malacca. Most of the attacks
\ntook place in Indonesian waters.<\/p>\n
What triggered the negotiations was a speech by Admiral Tom
\nFargo, commander of the Honolulu-based U.S. Pacific Command, in
\nCongress in March, in which he broached his Regional Maritime
\nSecurity Initiative (RMSI) that calls for partnership among
\ncountries in the Asia-Pacific to enhance maritime security.<\/p>\n
Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, the U.S. has
\nalso expressed concern at the possibility of terrorists using the
\nStrait of Malacca to launch their attacks, using local pirates to
\nhelp their cause. Such a scenario could create havoc, not only in
\nshipping activities in the Malacca Strait, but also in the world
\neconomy, given the importance of the shipping lane.<\/p>\n
However, Singapore's suggestion in March to bring in the
\nUnited States in patrolling the Strait of Malacca was quickly
\nrebuked by both Indonesia and Malaysia, who said that this would
\nentail questions of sovereignty.<\/p>\n
The coordinated patrol was also preferred to a joint
\noperation, which would have meant that all three navies worked
\nunder one command. Whether this option is effective will only be
\nknown in the coming months.<\/p>\n
The coordinated patrol is a compromise in which each navy will
\ncontinue to be in charge and responsible for the safety of their
\nrespective waters, but allowing for the possibility of a warship
\nfrom one country to enter another, either in hot pursuit of a
\npirate ship, or in response to a distress call.<\/p>\n
The three navies have also opened a 24-hour hotline that will
\nkeep them continuously in contact as they each patrol their own
\nwaters. Each country is committed to provide between five to
\nseven ships for the maintenance of security in the strait.
\nThe possible participation of other countries will be discussed
\nwhen Indonesia hosts a meeting of all navy chiefs in the
\nAsia-Pacific region later this year.<\/p>\n
\"We are not the only three countries that have an interest in
\nmaintaining security in the Malacca Strait,\" Endriartono said.<\/p>",
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