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PORT KLANG, Malaysia : The International Maritime Bureau has launched a new maritime security hotline to further enhance security in the Malacca Strait and other parts of the world.
At a maritime security conference in Port Klang, Malaysian marine police showcased their prowess in their tactical response to pirate attacks on the high seas.
In the enactment, six armed pirates boarded a merchant ship passing through the Malacca Strait.
With the ship's crew members held hostage, the pirates demanded a ransom of US$3 million.
On receiving the first distress call, the marine police sprang into action.
Two helicopters, 12 patrol boats and 60 commando officers from the waterborne unit were dispatched.
In barely 20 minutes, all six pirates were arrested and the hijack attempt was foiled.
Unfortunately, it's often a different story when it comes to actual enforcement.
Malaysia's marine police chief pointed to the delay in relaying information as the main stumbling block.
"If a ship has been attacked, the problem is we are informed only four to five hours later. And by then, we can't do anything," said Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman, Commander, Royal Malaysia Marine Police.
The International Maritime Bureau admits that a lot can be done in tapping new pool of information to prevent crimes on the high seas.
"The maritime security hotline is a way for people at the frontline of the shipping commerce, like crew members and workers in the port. When they have information they want to pass on, they can do so in confidence to the piracy reporting centre. We will then evaluate that information and feed it straight to the law enforcement agencies for their action," said Captain P. Mukundan, Director, International Maritime Bureau.
With more than 200 vessels plying the Malacca Strait each day, the Malacca strait, with its narrow waterway and shallow reefs is often regarded as the choke point of Asia.
Law enforcement agencies hope that the newly launched maritime security hotline will help enhance security along the Strait by providing a more accurate picture of the situation on the seas. - CNA /ls
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