A look at maritime security in Malaysia

Given current events in Lahad Datu and the fact that the infiltration of the country originates from the sea, it is unsurprising that people are asking questions about the state of security in the nation's maritime zones, the organisation of our security forces in relation to that, as well as how the country maintains security in such areas and prevents untoward incidents and infiltrations.

On paper it would seem an easy task to accomplish but the reality is different. First off, one has to take into account the geography of Malaysia - the country has a total land mass of about 330,000sq km and 4,675km of coastline (peninsular Malaysia 2,068km, East Malaysia 2,607km).