Malacca Straits Patrol members mark 10-year cooperation in Singapore

Navy chiefs from Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia gathered at Singapore's Changi Naval Base on Thursday to commemorate the 10th anniversary for the signing of the Malacca Straits Patrol (MSP).

The MSP is a set of cooperative measures comprising the Malacca Straits Sea Patrol, the "Eyes-in-the-Sky" Combined Maritime Air Patrols as well as the Intelligence Exchange Group that are undertaken by the littoral states to ensure the security of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS).

The MSP Terms of Reference and Standard Operating Procedures, signed on April 21, 2006, has been successful in improving maritime security in SOMS, said said the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF).

Singapore's Chief of Defence Force Major-General Perry Lim, together with Navy Chiefs and Deputy Chief of Navy from the four member states, unveiled the newly minted MSP logo on Thursday. They also visited the 4th MSP Exercise.

The exercise, which incorporated real-time updates from patrol ships and maritime patrol aircraft, sought to reinforce information-sharing linkages between the MSP members and enhance mutual understanding and collaboration, according to MINDEF.

In conjunction with the commemorative events, the four MSP members engaged in discussions on measures to address sea robbery hotspots at the Singapore Strait, and reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing the effectiveness of the MSP. Endit