‘No unilateral decisions’ on Malacca Strait, ASEAN works by consensus: Malaysia’s international minister | UNW

Purbaya said the idea, backed by President Prabowo Subianto, was inspired by Iran’s plans to charge ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. But Purbaya acknowledged that implementing such a policy would not be straightforward and that the Indonesia government currently still views the proposal as an initial idea.

Any levy would require agreement with Malaysia and Singapore, which also share territory along the Malacca Strait, local media quoted him as saying. 

Meanwhile, Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said on Wednesday morning that shipping lanes through the Malacca and Singapore straits must remain open to all. He further stressed that Singapore would not support any effort to restrict them.

“The right of transit passage is guaranteed for everyone,” the minister said in a fireside chat at a CNBC event in Singapore. “We will not participate in any attempts to close or interdict or to impose tolls in our neighbourhood.”

He added that Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore are trade dependent economies which know that it is in their interest to keep the Malacca Strait open.

“Between the three of us, we have a cooperative mechanism, not to collect tolls, but to keep it open and to maintain that position. The point here is that all three countries have a strategic interest and are strategically aligned in keeping it open. That is not something which you can take for granted in many other places,” he said. 

Earlier in February, Mohamad said that coordinated patrols by Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand have significantly improved maritime safety in the Malacca Strait, with current frameworks effective in preserving stability, after India had expressed interest to join security patrols there.

Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand are members of 11-member ASEAN. 

Formed in 1967, the association aimed to accelerate economic growth, social progress, and cultural development, while promoting regional peace, stability, and security through collaboration and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter.