NAVY SAYS STRAIT OF MELAKA NOT PIRATE-INFESTED ZONE

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 6 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Navy Chief, Admiral Abdul
Aziz Jaafar, has rejected claims that the Strait of Melaka was unsafe, saying
there was no basis to allege that the area was a pirate-infested zone.

He said that Malaysia and three neighbouring countries -- Indonesia,
Singapore and Thailand -- had intensified security surveillance in the area to
ensure the safety of passing ships.

A Malay daily quoted Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA)
Director-General Admiral Mohd Amdan Kurish as saying that there was a
possibility that piracy threats would recur in the Strait of Melaka in view of
the global economic slowdown.

Abdul Aziz said the navy was working closely with the MMEA, marine police
and other maritime enforcement agencies to enhance security surveillance in the
area and keep pirates at bay.

"The international community, therefore, need not worried over the safety of
navigation in the Strait of Melaka," he told reporters after attending a diploma
presentation ceremony organised by the Malaysian Armed Forces Defence College.

He said that although maritime enforcement was under the MMEA's
jurisdiction, the navy had the power to act in matters involving threats to the
country's sovereignty.

Abdul Aziz also said that the trilateral cooperations between the littoral
states of Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia through the "Eye in the Sky" and
coordinated patrol programmes had brought about immense benefit to the safety of
navigation the area.

Meanwhile, he said, the move to deploy the navy ship KD Mahawangsa, and
later KD Sri Indera Sakti, in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia, had
raised the country's profile in the area.

This was especially so after the ship had successfully freed the hijacked
MISC Bhd's vessels, Bunga Melati Dua and Bunga Melati 5, in August last year, he
said.

The navy's "Operasi Fajar" to protect Malaysian ships in the Gulf of Aden
would be concluded on Feb 28.
-- BERNAMA