Malaysia - Indonesia (Malacca)

[GordMay]

”Japanese bulk carrier raided in new Malacca Strait pirate attack”
Friday, April 01/05
KUALA LUMPUR: ”... A Japanese-owned bulk carrier was boarded Friday in the fourth pirate attack in the Malacca Strait in just over a month, officials said, as Malaysia announced plans to place armed police on ships using the vital trading route ...”
Full article: http://www.harakahdaily.net/article.php?sid=12460

and
“Malaysia steps up campaign vs. pirates”
Saturday, April 02/05
KUALA LUMPUR: "... Malaysia will place armed and uniformed police officers onboard tugboats and barges plying the piracy-prone Malacca Strait in the wake of recent attacks, an official said ..."
Article:
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/...50402wor3.html

FWIW,
Gord May

[GordMay]

"Hot pursuit" agreements considered for Malacca Strait:
The latest discussions between Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines have included the topic of "hot pursuit" agreements. This would allow regional navies to chase suspected terrorists and pirates across international maritime boundaries. Government officials in Malaysia have confirmed they are actively discussing the option. Fears of terrorism center on the possibility that a large ship could be pirated and sunk at a shallow point in the Malacca Strait, blocking the waterway and having a devastating effect on world trade. Last year, the International Maritime Bureau recorded 37 pirate raids in the channel despite coordinated patrols by Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

See also "'Hot Pursuit' Agreement Would Protect Vulnerable Waterway"
by Mark Mayne ~ Crosswalk.com, 5/31/05: http://www.crosswalk.com/news/1332934.html

[GordMay]

Number of Malacca Strait Ship Attacks Decreases ~ by AFX News

The number of attacks on ships in the Malacca Strait fell sharply in the first nine months of this year due to Indonesia's efforts to boost naval and air patrols, according to an AFX News report. The International Maritime Bureau credits the reduction to an increase in patrols by Indonesia on its side of the strait. The country launched large-scale sea and air patrols in July to enforce maritime security in the Malacca Strait in an operation codenamed Gurita 2005, according to the report. As a result, there was a sharp drop in attacks to 10 in the first nine months of 2005 from 25 a year earlier in the narrow strait. The figures for the first few months of 2005 were also affected by last year's Dec 26 Indian Ocean tsunami, which devastated parts of Indonesia and also curtailed pirates' activities. The Malacca Strait waterway is used by around 50,000 ships a year carrying one third of world trade.

[Talbot]

Reduction in piracy is more likely to be that a lot of the pirate havens were wiped out in the Tsunami