Hisham: Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia to foster military cooperation

COTABATO CITY: Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia will enter into a military collaboration under the Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement (TCA) through the Trilateral Maritime Patrol (TMP) to ensure that the Sulu Sea does not support rat trails into the three countries.  

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said he will launch the initiative together with his Philippine counterpart Delfin Negrillo Lorenzana and Indonesia's Ryamizard Ryacudu in Tarakan, Indonesia, on June 19.  

"The launch will be witnessed by the Defence Ministers of Singapore and Brunei Darussalam," he said in a statement after his meeting with Lorenzana here Friday.  

He said the TMP will be implemented in the Sulu Sea, and it involves the Malaysian Armed Forces, the Philippine Armed Forces and the Indonesian National Armed Forces.  

He said the main objective of the TMP is to ensure that militants do not use the waters to enter the three countries.  

He said the joint effort is also to tackle piracy, kidnappings and armed robberies in the Sulu Sea.  

Hishammuddin also said that he had instructed the Malaysian Armed Forces to work closely with other security agencies in the country, including the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom).

The move is to ensure that Sabah's sovereignty and security are protected.  

He said this included mobilising additional assets and increasing surveillance in Sabah waters in the effort to resolve and combat any threat, including terrorist incursions.  

"On the incident in Marawi, I understand that to date, 178 individuals were killed, including 120 militants, 36 members of the Philippine army, three Philippine police members and 19 civilians.  

"I was also made to understand that there are still about 150 to 200 members of the Maute militant group hiding in Marawi City," he said.  

An unprecedented attack last month by militants killed close to 200 people and plunged the lakeside city into chaos. - Bernama