Second trilateral meeting on Sulu threat fast-tracked to next week

From the Malay Mail Online (Jun 23): Second trilateral meeting on Sulu threat fast-tracked to next week



















Hishammuddin said the meeting was brought forward due to the urgency of the matter\. — Picture by Kamles Kumar

The next trilateral meeting among defence officials from Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines to strategise ways to contain militant threats from the Sulu region will be held in Jakarta next week.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the meeting was brought forward due to the urgency of the matter.

"The next will be at the end of the month. It has been fast-tracked," he told reporters after launching the 2017 edition of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition here.

The three nations had met on Monday to discuss measures to tackle rising security challenges in the waters bordering their countries.

"Let’s wait for the (other) meeting first," Hishammuddin said.

Monday’s meeting, the second such discussion among the three nations, saw the countries agreeing in principle to explore several measures to boost maritime security, including setting up a designated “transit corridor” within maritime areas of common concern.

The countries also agreed to step up air and sea patrols in common maritime areas to fend off potential hijacks, kidnaps and robberies.

Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines had in 2002 signed a pact to tighten security against cross-border attacks by militants from the notorious Abu Sayyaf terror network.

Most recently, the network said to be responsible for numerous kidnappings off Sabah’s porous borders, released four Malaysian captives after holding them hostage for over two months.

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/second-trilateral-meeting-on-sulu-threat-fast-tracked-to-next-week