"The patrols have proven to be effective in reducing piracy in the Malacca Strait,"Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government guarantees security in its territorial waters, especially those located near the Malacca Strait and the South China sea, an official said.
Indonesian Military Commander Admiral Agus Suhartono said so on Monday during a meeting with US Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Patrick Walsh.
The Indonesian military chief, through his spokesman Rear Admiral Iskandar Sitompul, said Indonesia had been conducting coordinated patrols in the strait with Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
"The patrols have proven to be effective in reducing piracy in the Malacca Strait," Iskandar said.
As to the security in the South China sea, he said Indonesia would coordinate bilaterally with China or bring the issue to multilateral level by also involving members of ASEAN+3.
In the Asia and Pacific region, including ASEAN and Indonesia, security of the Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOC) was a matter of vital importance to users of these lanes in the region.
The US itself had previously also given five surveillance radars which were set up along the Malacca Strait to support security in the world`s busiest sea lane.
The five radars were now functioning as part of the Integrated Maritime Surveillance System (IMSS) in the Malacca Strait where security was being maintained jointly by Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore through a coordinated patrol scheme launched in July, 2004.
The three nations` coordinated patrols had resulted in a 70-percent decrease in criminal activity in the Malacca Strait.
Previously holder of a dubious title as the number one piracy hot spot, the Malacca Strait is currently being looked at as an example of a success story on how to protect security in the world`s busiest sea lane.
(SYS/A051/H-YH)
Editor: Suryanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
