PIRACY IN NEIGHBOURING SEAS

Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Minister for Communications, in view of the increasing incidents of piracy in the neighbouring seas, whether Singapore can play a more meaningful role in international efforts to control piracy in the region.

Mr Mah Bow Tan: There is no evidence of an increase in the number of incidents on piracy and armed robberies against ships in the waters near Singapore. Singapore and Indonesia have since 1992 established an arrangement to conduct coordinated patrols to curb the menace. The joint effort has proven to be effective. According to the July 1998 report of the International Maritime Bureau on Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships, the number of incidents in the Singapore Strait has been one per year from 1994-1996, with no reported incidents from 1997 to mid-1998.

At the international level, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is also concerned with piracy incidents as they affect safety of navigation of ships. The IMO has recently decided to organise a series of regional seminars to address the issue. The seminars aim to explain IMO guidelines for the combat of piracy and armed robbery and to encourage participating countries to develop cooperative measures among themselves to address the problem. At the request of the IMO, we have agreed to help organise the seminar for the Asian region in Singapore in February 1999. We will continue to promote and support regional and international efforts to address the issue.