Maritime Security: Malaysia's Persistent Problem

Abstract

In an address to senior naval officers at the 2009 International Maritime Seminar, Admiral Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations, described Southeast Asia as a critical maritime region for commerce, for communication and for resources.1 While maritime security in Southeast Asia has been a long-standing issue, it has garnered significant attention in the last decade and a heightened awareness of the vulnerabilities of this region has emerged. The United States, China, and Japan, among other nations dependent upon these waters for international trade and commerce, have come to regard the Straits of Malacca as a region of instability, lurking threats, and ineffective law enforcement.2 As one of the three coastal states economically dependent upon maritime trade, one of the most critical challenges facing Malaysia is maintaining effective maritime security in this region. Unilateral and multilateral security measures taken in recent years by Malaysia appear to have neutralized the maritime threats in this region; however vulnerabilities remain due to geographic challenges, sovereignty concerns, and territorial disputes.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2012
Accession Number
AD1022129

Entities

People

  • Tricia A. Cronau

Organizations

  • Air Command and Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Asia
  • Commerce
  • Energy Security
  • Geography
  • International Relations
  • International Trade
  • Maritime Security
  • Naval Operations
  • Naval Vessels
  • Piracy
  • Police
  • Security
  • Southeast Asia
  • Terrorists
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Waterways

Readers

  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • Maritime and Naval Warfare Studies