Latest news with #Anti-PiracyForum2025
Borneo Post
4 days ago
- Business
- Borneo Post
Sarawak to reform maritime laws, strengthen regional anti-piracy measures, says minister
Henry (seated centre) in a group photo with participants during the Anti-Piracy Forum 2025. SIBU (Aug 6): The Sarawak government is taking steps to review and reform its maritime laws to better protect local shipping interests and strengthen regional anti-piracy efforts, said state Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin. Delivering his remarks through his deputy minister Dato Henry Harry Jinep at the Anti-Piracy Forum 2025 here today, Lee emphasised that maritime threats remain transnational and require integrated responses. 'Maritime transport is the backbone of Sarawak's coastal and riverine economy. Ensuring the safety of our shipping lanes is vital for connecting rural communities and supporting economic growth,' he said. Lee revealed that his ministry is currently in the initial stage of reviewing the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1960 (Sarawak) to ensure it remains relevant and aligned with current shipping developments. He also noted that Sarawak has been appointed to the Maritime Law Review and Reform Committee (MLRRC), a body endorsed by the Federal Cabinet, allowing the state to ensure its interests are represented in the nationwide maritime legal reform. While Sarawak waters remain free from piracy, Lee cautioned that opportunistic sea robberies have been reported in regional waters, particularly in busy straits and international zones where enforcement is limited. 'Piracy is not a problem any single nation can solve alone. I urge authorities, shipping operators, and regional partners to collaborate through vigilance, real-time reporting, and joint patrols,' he said. The forum, co-organised by the Sabah and Sarawak Shipowners Association (SSSA) and the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP), serves as a platform for intelligence sharing, fostering partnerships, and strengthening maritime safety measures. Lee also called on federal and state enforcement agencies to enhance surveillance along Sarawak's coastal waters to safeguard seafarers, shipping companies, and local maritime trade routes. 'Together, through innovation, intelligence, and integration, we can push piracy further into the past and ensure our maritime domain remains a space of peace and prosperity.' The forum brought together shipowners, enforcement agencies, and international partners to discuss strategies aimed at securing sea lanes and protecting the lives of seafarers navigating regional waters. anti-piracy Lee Kim Shin maritime laws reform
The Star
4 days ago
- The Star
Anti-piracy watchdog logs 94 robberies on ships in Straits of Malacca and Singapore as of July 2025
SIBU: A total of 94 incidents of armed robbery against ships were reported in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore in the first seven months of this year. "According to the latest data from ReCAAP ISC (Information Sharing Centre), there were 111 incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia between January and July 2025. 'Of these, 94 incidents occurred in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS area), making up 85% of the total number of incidents in Asia," said ReCAAP ISC assistant director Kwon Soon Tae at the Anti-Piracy Forum 2025 here on Wednesday (August 6). The forum was jointly organised by the Sarawak and Sabah Shipowners Association (SSSA) and ReCAAP (Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia). Kwon highlighted that most of these incidents involved large vessels. 'We are seeing more cases of unauthorised boarding of barges towed by tugboats, mainly to steal scrap metal." "From January to July this year, seven incidents involving tugs and barges were reported in the SOMS area, compared to four cases during the same period in 2024," he said. Explaining the ReCAAP, Kwon said that it is the first and only regional government-to-government agreement focused on combating piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia. "The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre's mandate is to combat piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia. We conduct our activities through three main pillars: information sharing, capacity building, and cooperative arrangements. "We regularly engage partners like SSSA, other shipping associations, and governmental agencies. By working together, we aim to reach out to shipowners, masters and crew, and law enforcement agencies to find ways to prevent sea robbery and related crimes," he said. Meanwhile, state Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Henry Harry Jinep told reporters that no incidents of piracy or robbery had been reported on rivers in Sarawak. "Our rivers are safe. We don't have piracy or robbery," he said.
