Navies Vow To Fight Piracy

In their fight against piracy in regional waters, the navies of both Singapore and Indonesia are intensifying patrols, Singapore's Shipping Times reported. Joint patrols between the Singapore and Indonesian navies are expected to take place over the next few months, especially in the piracy hot spots in the region, the paper said. The move was seen necessary as the increased patrols and precautions taken by the Malaysian counterparts are likely to drive more pirates into Singapore's and Indonesian's surrounding waters, it said. The Malaysian Maritime Police, which has adopted better communication equipment and faster patrol boats, has reported a drop in piracy attacks in Malaysia waters. - (Reuters)