Friday, September 5, 2008
Malaysia Works to Make Sea Lanes Safer
Malaysia is demonstrating a forthright policy by deploying its navy to Somalia. I believe that many nations should be more involved in security issues, especially those that occur within their regional domain and Malaysia has done just that. Malaysia is sending three navy ships to the coast of Somalia to protect merchant vessels from piracy. The ships will begin patrolling in the Gulf of Aden in the next few days. The seas off Somalia, close to busy shipping routes and therefore of direct interest to Malaysia, have some of the highest rates of piracy in the world. The country has been without a functioning central government for 17 years and has suffered from continual civil strife. If only China and India would get more involved, and support Malaysia, the piracy issue could very well be eliminated.