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The Nippon Foundation has pumped in another US$2.5mil (RM8.86mil)
to enhance security and marine environmental protection in the
Straits of Malacca and Singapore.
The money — equivalent to a third of the total maintenance
expenditure of the two straits this year — was channelled to the
Aids to Navigation Fund managed by the straits’ littoral states of
Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
This was the second contribution from the Japanese-based
foundation after it forked out US$1.35mil (RM4.79mil) to launch
the fund last year.
“We hope our act will lead to more contributions from other users
of the straits,” said foundation chairman Yohei Sasakawa.
He said the foundation would continue to induce the international
shipping community to cooperate in enhancing the safety of
navigation and environmental protection in both the straits.
Yesterday, Sasakawa and Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat
witnessed the signing of the Letter of Undertaking on the
foundation’s contribution.
The document was signed by the foundation’s executive director
Masazumi Nagamitsu and the fund’s chairman Datuk Capt Ahmad
Othman, who is also the Marine Department director-general.
Also present were the Singapore Maritime and Port Authority chief
executive Lam Yi Young and Indonesian Sea Transportation
director-general Sunaryo S.H.
Ong said this co-operative mechanism fostered close cooperation
between the three littoral states and other users to ensure the
straits were safe and open for shipping at all times.
He said they were taking both pro-active and pre-emptive measures
to enhance the straits’ safety and security, including pirate
attacks.
“So far, we have a clean record (on piracy), but we have to be
always alert and not wait until something happens before acting,”
he said.
Ong said the two straits, which were among the busiest waterways
worldwide, carried 40% of global seaborne trade and half of the
world’s total oil trade. “It is a vital communication link between
the East and West.” |
