Malaysia Rejects Join Anti-Piracy Patrols With Japan
 

MALAYSIA - Malaysia has rejected the idea of joint anti-piracy patrols with Japan as officials from 15 countries meet in Kuala Lumpur to discuss combating pirate attacks in Southeast Asia. 

"We can handle the problem, the situation does not warrant for such help," said Abdul Rahman Hussin, Malaysia's director of maritime security. Abdul Rahman was speaking as experts from 15 countries in the region came together at the latest in a series of meetings organised by the Japanese Coast Guard to try and find ways to combat piracy. At previous meetings this year in Singapore and Japan, the Japanese officials have called for the establishment of joint patrols and the creation of a new international agency to tackle the problem. Japan's Coast Guard chief, Shogo Arai, said his country was ready to intensify joint patrols in the region on a regular basis. "We already have such patrols with India and have the resources to do the same with more countries," he said