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SINGAPORE : The proposal to have "eyes in the sky" to patrol the Straits of Malacca is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, according to an Indonesian Navy official.
A spokesman from the Singapore's Defence Ministry confirmed that the Republic will, for a start, contribute two Fokker-50 patrols per week.
The spokesman said the frequency of the patrols could be reviewed subsequently.
The Indonesian Navy official said besides Singapore, the other countries which would each contribute two aircraft include Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.
Thailand's Premier Thaksin Shinawatra gave his support for the "eyes in the sky" proposal recently during his talks with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
The proposal was brought up by Malaysian Defence Minister Najib Tun Razak at the Shangri La Dialogue held in Singapore.
More than 50,000 ships, carrying half the world's oil and a third of its commerce, use the Malacca Strait each year.
Singapore's Foreign MInister George Yeo had noted during the recent ASEAN meeting in July that the joint war committee of Lloyds had included the Straits of Malacca as a war risk. - CNA/de
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