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.