06 September 2007

Mr. Koji Sekimizu,
Director of Maritime Safety Division,
The International Maritime Organization (IMO)

Brigadier General (NS) Choi Shing Kwok,
Head of Delegation of the Republic of Singapore

Mr. Yuri Gunadi,
Alternate Head of Delegation of the Republic of Indonesia

Excellencies, Heads of Delegations, Fellow Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen

I am most delighted that the voyage that we embarked on together beginning on Tuesday is now approaching a successful ending. Indeed the mission that we set ourselves when we first met in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2005 is almost accomplished. If anything this journey has taught us all is that what we originally thought was an impossible mission is in fact achievable if we put our minds and wills together and remain focussed on achieving the goals. It has shown that with a lot of effort, patience and determined resolution anything can be achieved.

I have listened attentively to all the presentations and deliberations for the last 3 days and am encouraged by the fact that they have all been positive towards promoting cooperation among the littoral States of the Straits and the many users and stakeholders. It has clearly been demonstrated that the unrivalled spirit of cooperation that exists within the International Maritime Organisation (or IMO) has once again prevailed towards achieving a noble cause.

It was clear from the very beginning that the objective of this meeting was to promote the Cooperative Mechanism that was first introduced during the Kuala Lumpur Meeting in 2006. I am happy that we have all shared this common aim and I am even happier that this aim has been achieved.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

Malaysia is thankful that the Cooperative Mechanism presented on Tuesday has now been agreed upon. We agree that the Cooperative Mechanism has to evolve as we go along. We are most grateful, therefore, that the Cooperative Mechanism comprising a variety of options for cooperation and burden sharing, either through the cooperation forum, project implementation or Aids to Navigation Fund have received wide ranging support from the many users of the Straits. I must sincerely thank the International Maritime Organization for the continuous support and advice that it has provided the three littoral States for the last three years.

To this I must quote the words of the IMO Secretary General Mr. Mitropoulos in his opening address on Tuesday, where he viewed the Cooperative Mechanism "as an historic breakthrough of great significance in the concerted efforts undertaken by all the parties concerned, as it constitutes the first attempt to put in place a formal framework to promote the implementation of both the spirit and intent underlying in article 43 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea". Malaysia shares this view.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

Allow me to take this opportunity to express Malaysia's appreciation to everyone who has voiced their support of the Cooperative Mechanism especially those who have pledged to participate in the projects and contribute to the Aids to Navigation Fund. Malaysia is thankful to the Bahamas, Cyprus, Germany, Norway, Panama, South Africa, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, who have all given their support and willingness to participate in the Cooperative Mechanism. We are also thankful to those in the maritime industry, including BIMCO, IALA, ICS, INTERTANKO, ITOPF and OCIMF who have also voiced their support to the Cooperative Mechanism.

We are most grateful to Australia, China, Japan, Republic of Korea and the United States who in supporting the Cooperative Mechanism also expressed their readiness to participate in the projects that were proposed by the littoral States. We are particularly grateful also to the Republic of Korea and to the Nippon Foundation, which is a long time supporter of the three littoral States, and the UAE for expressing their readiness to contribute to the Aids to Navigation Fund.

I am most overwhelmed with these outpouring of support and contribution. I must add with this we are confident that the Cooperative Mechanism will provide an invaluable tool and make further headway to enhance safety of navigation and environmental protection in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore and for the Straits to remain open to navigation.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

Malaysia admits that the launch of the Cooperative Mechanism and the overwhelming support that it received is not in itself the end of the cause. In fact we realise that this only marks the beginning of an even longer journey, which we know will not be easy throughout and there will be many more challenges. However, we are confident that with the concrete support as was shown this week, we will be successful.

In realising this new challenge Malaysia supports the suggestion by Indonesia to convene a pre-Project Coordination Committee Meeting during the coming 32nd TTEG meeting in Indonesia at the end of October this year in order to coordinate the implementation of the various projects, particularly the many pledges that have been made.

Let me also take this opportunity to announce that Malaysia, as the next host of the TTEG in 2008 is already planning to convene the first meeting of the Cooperation Forum in Malaysia sometime in the middle of next year. I am also happy to announce that Malaysia is prepared to be the first host of the Aids to Navigation Fund to facilitate the necessary maintenance work to the aids to navigation in the Straits.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

In the euphoria on the successful launch of the Cooperative Mechanism on safety of navigation and environmental protection, Malaysia is fully aware that there remain concerns on the security of ships and seafarers using the Straits. I would like to assure all users that, as we have demonstrated during the last three days, Malaysia is ever ready to respond to those concerns by taking effective action either on our own or with our littoral States partners or with other States to further enhance the security in the Straits. We have seen during the meeting that that there are already ample cooperation platforms established to further enhance and strengthen security in the Straits.

I would also like to assure the meeting that Malaysia will also continue to invest its own resources to further enhance safety of navigation, security and environmental protection in the Straits. Malaysia will continue to discharge our responsibilities as a littoral State to ensure that the Straits remain safe and open to navigation as they have always been for centuries.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

I must express my deep appreciation to the meeting and under the ever able chairmanship and wisdom of Professor Tommy Koh we have successfully adopted the Singapore Statement.

In closing, I would like to once again thank Singapore for being a wonderful host and for tirelessly attending to our needs not only during the last three days but for the last few months in preparing for this meeting. I would also like to thank Indonesia and Singapore for their close cooperation and strong support, and also not forgetting the IMO for its invaluable advice and contributions and to all those who have made these series of meetings possible.

It is my hope that the same level of support and cooperation will continue as we move to put into operation the Cooperative Mechanism. To delegates that are returning home to your capitals, I wish you a pleasant and safe voyage and I hope to welcome all of you in the Cooperation Forum when we put into operation the Cooperative Mechanism.

Thank you.