In response to press queries on Japan's offer to help patrol the Straits of Malacca after the kidnapping incident involving the tugboat Idaten, the MFA Spokesman said:
"The Straits of Malacca and Singapore is an international waterway important to international trade and global energy security. All stakeholders should contribute to the security of the Straits. Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore as littoral states have a primary role to play, but no single state has the resources to meet the rising challenges of maritime security. There are many states who have a stake in the safety and security of navigation in the Straits."
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
18 MARCH 2005