MARITIME INSTITUTE OF MALAYSIA

OFFICIAL PORTAL

The Straits of Malacca: International Co-operation in Trade, Funding & Navigational Safety

This book represents the views of experts in various fields, notably international law and the marine environment, and deals with navigational safety, marine pollution and meeting the financial costs of keeping the Straits of Malacca safe and clean. The physical characteristics of the Straits are such that it is extremely sensitive to the hazards of land-sourced as well as ship-sourced pollution. As the narrow fairways are dangerous to navigation, vigilance and caution must always be exercised when transiting the Straits of Malacca. Yet there is a tendency for many Straits users to take things for granted.

It is generally assumed that the Straits state have to provide navigational aids, dredge the narrow channels, remove wrecks, put in place equipment to combat oil pollution and undertake the endless housekeeping activities with far-reaching financial costs to the littoral states. Apart from the littoral states, who are the grudging providers of these important services, Japan is the only other non-littoral state to be actively involved in the Straits. Japan provides technical assistance to the traffic separation scheme project and donated a large sum of money for oil- pollution mitigation. Should not other major users also contribute to these services?

One of the objectives of this book is to remind users of the Straits of Malacca of their international obligation to pay for services which they use. It is unfair that less economically endowed nations, whose “misfortune” is to have their borders on a straits used for international navigation, bear the burden of providing free services to wealthy nations whose economic well- being depends on access to the Straits An equitable financial-sharing mechanism for the Straits of Malacca should be identified and implemented.

 

Edited by: Hamzah Ahmad

ISBN: 9679785769

Year Published: 1997

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