The Indonesians were happy enough to see these Japanese craft (along with several hundred million dollars) after the tsunami:
Interesting now how the Malaysians are not so eager to see more Japanese aid...
Posted on 03/17/2005 4:16:24 PM PST by snowsislander
KUALA LUMPUR : The security of the Malacca Strait is the responsibility of Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore only, Kuala Lumpur said, dashing any plans by Japan to deploy gunboats to help rescue two of its nationals kidnapped by pirates.
"We will do whatever we can, but the principle of sovereignty has to be respected," said Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is also defence minister.
Japan's coast guards had said they were considering dispatching patrol vessels and aircraft to the area, if Malaysia made such a request, after two Japanese officers and a Filipino crewman were seized from a tugboat in the strait on Monday.
The issue of security in the strait has become increasingly sensitive since Japan and Western governments expressed concern recently that terrorists could hijack a tanker to use as a floating bomb or to block the vital channel and disrupt world trade.
The strait, which slices peninsular Malaysia from Indonesia's Sumatra island, is the quickest route from the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and carries a third of world trade and half its oil supplies, including 80 percent of Japan's oil needs.
Malaysia has repeatedly rejected the involvement of forces from the United States or other foreign governments in patrolling the shipping lane, saying it would infringe on its sovereignty and attract rather than repel terrorism.
But the international concern led the three littoral states -- Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore -- to launch coordinated patrols in the strait last year.
Najib said Malaysia had close working relations with Indonesia which would help efforts to secure the safety of seafarers.
"We conduct coordinated patrols and exchange intelligence," he said. "If the pirates are from Indonesia, it is up to Indonesian authorities to arrest them."
Malaysian marine police have suggested that the kidnappers could be Indonesian rebels of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), which has been waging a separatist revolt in the north of Sumatra island since 1976.
But Najib said he did not know if this was the case. "I don't know. It is a police matter. Whoever they are, irrespective if they are Acehenese or whoever, action must be taken against them."
GAM spokesman Sofyan Daud has denied the rebels were behind the attack.
The tug was on its way from Indonesia's Batam island to Myanmar on Monday when the pirates kidnapped 56-year-old captain Nobuo Inoue, 50-year-old chief engineer Shunji Kuroda and a Filipino crewman identified by Manila as Sangdang Paliawan, 31.
In an earlier raid in the strait last weekend, a gang of 35 pirates armed with machine guns and rocket launchers boarded the Indonesian-registered gas tanker Tri Samudra and kidnapped the captain and the chief engineer.
The kidnappers have already demanded a ransom of two billion rupiah (214,000 dollars) from the owners, Humpuss Intermoda Transport.
ping
And we know how fast the Indonesians are to go after rebels.
just send your money, but no boats.
Something is screwed up over there.
Somehow that statement does not sound very reassuring...
Japan or China could move to clarify the sovereignty issues if their oil tankers are blocked. Britain could, too, but they don't have the responsibility in the region anymore. Japan could do it easily, they still have ordnance maps someplace and they could get the green light from Britain and America. Nobody wants China in there except China.
The Indonesians were happy enough to see these Japanese craft (along with several hundred million dollars) after the tsunami:
Interesting now how the Malaysians are not so eager to see more Japanese aid...
yeah, i remember and even the younger people when polled in indonesia liked the way the u.s. aircraft carrier showed up with water, food, and medical aid.
the point is, i think, that they want to control the military passage.
Is that an Imperial flag I see back by one of the propellers?
I believe it's the Japanese naval ensign:
SOVEREIGNTY MY ASS...SHOW'EM THE BUSINESS END OF GUN BARREL!
So you would have no problem with a foreign power patrolling the Chesapeake then?
Also not so eager for American Helicopters
American Marines..
American Navy...
Israeli aid..
Christian based organizations..
Probably others, but that's all I recall at the moment..
Mind you, I can see why they feel that way about Japan too. She didn't exactly win hearts and minds last time, and none of the Singaporeans I knoww would be willing to countenance Japanese naval vessels for more than a ceremonial visit. They'd rather have China first which says how deep old (Well, not that old) animosities run....
Yes it is.
They can't stop Japan if Japan wants to protect its oil shipments. As far as dealing with foreign gov'ts, Japan is a lot more like them institutionally than China ever will be. They can work with Japan and the old animosities are just that, old and near death due to old age.
Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore seem unable to do anything.
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