U.S. asked to train RI Navy to secure Malacca Strait
U.S. asked to train RI Navy to secure Malacca Strait
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A noted expert is urging the United States and other foreign
countries to help train the Indonesian Navy in securing the
Malacca Strait and to not usurp the responsibility from Indonesia
and Malaysia.
Hasyim Djalal, a coastal law expert and former diplomat, said
on Thursday that foreign countries could provide assistance in
mapping the strait and train the coast guard to detect pirates
operating in the area.
"They can help us through other means that will support patrol
teams in the strait, as the passage falls within our maritime
territory and they do not have the authority to deploy troops
there," Hasyim told The Jakarta Post.
Reports of a possible deployment of U.S. troops surfaced after
the top American military official in the Pacific, Adm. Thomas
Fargo, told a congressional committee in Washington on March 31
that the U.S. government had begun initial talks with Asian
nations on regional maritime security.
Singapore is worried that piracy in the strait has entered a
new phase with recent attacks conducted with almost military
precision.
Fargo said formal discussions on the plan, called the Regional
Maritime Security Initiative (RMSI), would begin by mid-year.
The statement immediately irked both Malaysia and Indonesia,
the countries in charge of security in the Malacca Strait, one of
the world's busiest waterways.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar was quoted by the
New Straits Times on Thursday rejecting the proposal: "There is
no need for us to engage foreign forces now. If ever there is a
need for it, it is up to us to request, but clearly we have no
intention to ask for their presence."
Earlier, foreign ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa said
there had not been any formal discussions with Washington about
deploying U.S. military vessels in the strait.
He also said that safety and security in the strait was based
on the international maritime law and was the rightful
responsibility of the states bordering it -- Malaysia and
Indonesia.
Hasyim said Indonesia and Malaysia had the capability to
handle the security in the narrow 900-kilometer strait.
Meanwhile, deputy chairman of the Indonesian National
Shipowners Association (INSA) Oentoro Surya said the Indonesian
Navy should improve their coordination with Malaysia in securing
the waterway.
"It is true that the security condition in the strait is very
bad, and the Navy seems to be powerless in securing the area. But
we believe they could do better," Oentoro said.
He alleged that pirate syndicates from Singapore, Thailand,
Malaysia and Indonesia were operating in the Malacca Strait.
"Last October, we lost four tugboats in the strait, but the
Navy didn't do anything about it, even after we reported the
incident to them," he said.
Oentoro, who owns a national shipping company, stressed that
the pirate problem had been neglected for some time now, as the
authorities focused on fighting against smuggling.
He claimed that INSA had raised its concern regarding the lack
of security to Indonesian authorities several times.
"But it is very difficult for us even to see the Western Fleet
Commander to discuss these security problems," Oentoro said.
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A noted expert is urging the United States and other foreign
countries to help train the Indonesian Navy in securing the
Malacca Strait and to not usurp the responsibility from Indonesia
and Malaysia.
Hasyim Djalal, a coastal law expert and former diplomat, said
on Thursday that foreign countries could provide assistance in
mapping the strait and train the coast guard to detect pirates
operating in the area.
"They can help us through other means that will support patrol
teams in the strait, as the passage falls within our maritime
territory and they do not have the authority to deploy troops
there," Hasyim told The Jakarta Post.
Reports of a possible deployment of U.S. troops surfaced after
the top American military official in the Pacific, Adm. Thomas
Fargo, told a congressional committee in Washington on March 31
that the U.S. government had begun initial talks with Asian
nations on regional maritime security.
Singapore is worried that piracy in the strait has entered a
new phase with recent attacks conducted with almost military
precision.
Fargo said formal discussions on the plan, called the Regional
Maritime Security Initiative (RMSI), would begin by mid-year.
The statement immediately irked both Malaysia and Indonesia,
the countries in charge of security in the Malacca Strait, one of
the world's busiest waterways.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar was quoted by the
New Straits Times on Thursday rejecting the proposal: "There is
no need for us to engage foreign forces now. If ever there is a
need for it, it is up to us to request, but clearly we have no
intention to ask for their presence."
Earlier, foreign ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa said
there had not been any formal discussions with Washington about
deploying U.S. military vessels in the strait.
He also said that safety and security in the strait was based
on the international maritime law and was the rightful
responsibility of the states bordering it -- Malaysia and
Indonesia.
Hasyim said Indonesia and Malaysia had the capability to
handle the security in the narrow 900-kilometer strait.
Meanwhile, deputy chairman of the Indonesian National
Shipowners Association (INSA) Oentoro Surya said the Indonesian
Navy should improve their coordination with Malaysia in securing
the waterway.
"It is true that the security condition in the strait is very
bad, and the Navy seems to be powerless in securing the area. But
we believe they could do better," Oentoro said.
He alleged that pirate syndicates from Singapore, Thailand,
Malaysia and Indonesia were operating in the Malacca Strait.
"Last October, we lost four tugboats in the strait, but the
Navy didn't do anything about it, even after we reported the
incident to them," he said.
Oentoro, who owns a national shipping company, stressed that
the pirate problem had been neglected for some time now, as the
authorities focused on fighting against smuggling.
He claimed that INSA had raised its concern regarding the lack
of security to Indonesian authorities several times.
"But it is very difficult for us even to see the Western Fleet
Commander to discuss these security problems," Oentoro said.