Malaysia warns of 'possible' terror threat in Malacca Straits

Malaysia warns of 'possible' terror threat in Malacca Straits - 12 June 2007

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's top police official on Tuesday warned of a "real and possible" threat of terrorism in the Malacca Straits, one of the world's most vital trade-related waterways.

Inspector-General of the Royal Malaysian Police, Musa Hassan, said maritime security concerns included piracy and extortion of fishermen in the straits.

But touching on a topic rarely discussed by Malaysian officials, Musa said terrorist attacks on the crucial trade route would cripple economies globally, and called for continued vigilance.

"Another threat which is real and possible that is lurking in the strait is maritime terrorism," Musa told a conference of maritime industry experts discussing security threats.

Forms of maritime terrorism of "particular concern" included attacks on ships, the hijacking of ships carrying dangerous materials and the use of vessels to attack ports or land facilities, Musa said.

"If terrorists were to command a ship transporting LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) for a suicide mission in the strait, such an act would devastate southeast Asia's economic environment and severely disrupt trade," he said in his keynote address.

More than 30 percent of world trade passes through the Malacca Straits, and the volume of traffic has increased dramatically, with more than 62,600 ships using the straits in 2005, up 42 percent from 44,000 ships in 1999.

Half of the world's oil shipments also travel through the waterway, where piracy attacks have prompted concerns among east Asian nations who rely on those fuel shipments.

"A significant impediment to the flow of oil would be a direct threat to the national security of countries that are highly dependent, particularly Japan and South Korea," said Musa.

"It would mean re-routing the vessels, which would lead to skyrocketing freight and insurance rates and ... a devastating global economic impact," he said.

Maintaining and securing the waterway has always been regarded as the responsibility of the littoral states who border the sea lane -- Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. The three countries have implemented several security measures including coordinated air and sea patrols to secure the straits.

Musa said no single nation could secure the crucial waterway and urged continued cooperation amongst agencies and governments.

Separately, Pottengal Mukundan, the London-based director of the International Maritime Bureau organising the conference, said governments needed to stay on standby for attacks.

"There is always the possibility of a terror attack. We need to be prepared for it," Mukundan said.