KL to offer navy escorts for ships

KL to offer navy escorts for ships

MALAYSIA: Navy personnel will escort commercial ships traveling
through Malaysian waters if the risk of a pirate or terrorist
attack on them is deemed high, news reports said on Sunday.

Protection would only be offered to "high risk" vessels that
want assurances of safe passage through Malaysian waters, said
Defense Minister Najib Razak.

The Malacca Straits - which separates peninsular Malaysia from
Indonesia's Sumatra island - is one of the world's busiest and
most strategic waterways. It has been hit by rising piracy and is
considered vulnerable to terrorism.

"We are ready to provide the escort service if requested, but
it does not mean we have to look after all ships passing through
our waters," Najib was quoted as saying by the New Sunday Times
newspaper.

Najib said the government would bear the cost of the service,
stressing that there was no need for other countries to have a
role in safeguarding Malaysian waters.

Malaysia has objected in recent weeks to unconfirmed reports
that Washington wants to send U.S. Marine fast-response units to
help keep peace in the Malacca Straits. --AP