Malaysia calls on ASEAN to boost maritime cooperation

Malaysian Deputy Foreign Minister Hamzah Zainuddin called on members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Wednesday to boost maritime cooperation to attain prosperity, security, and stability in the region. Zainuddin added in remarks to local media that finding solutions to maritime navigation issues in the region became of high importance, pointing out that maritime navigation between the economies of countries located in eastern and southern Asia mainly depended on the Strait of Malacca and South China Sea. There is a great need for further cooperation between the regions' countries, in order to avoid and manage any expected crisis that might occur through maritime shipping routes, he said. He requested from the ASEAN to hold a number of meetings to discuss maritime security issues and regional operations.