Regional Piracy Surge Highlights Urgent Need For Security In South China Sea Security
By INS Contributors
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: A sharp
rise in piracy and armed robbery across Asian waters in early 2025 has renewed
calls for Malaysia and its neighbours to overhaul regional maritime security
frameworks, strengthen surveillance, and prioritise economic development in
vulnerable coastal areas.
R. Paneir Selvam, the Principal
Consultant at Arunachala Research & Consultancy (ARRESCON), a think tank
specialising on strategic national and geo-political matters, said the region
can no longer treat maritime security as strictly a defence issue. Instead, it
must be understood as central to national wealth, supply chain stability and
long-term economic resilience.
Speaking to reporters, Paneir
said the recent spike in maritime crime reflects “a dangerous convergence of
economic pressure, operational gaps and the exploitation of chokepoints across
the region’s busiest waters.”
He added that securing the South
China Sea is essential not only for protecting ships but for developing the
blue economy, increasing national revenue and disrupting criminal networks
involved in smuggling, human trafficking and illegal fishing.
“The South China Sea is not just
about great power competition. For Malaysia, it is our economic lifeline,”
Paneir said. “If we do not stabilise the surrounding maritime corridors, we are
jeopardising everything from trade competitiveness to fisheries, offshore
energy and national revenue.”
A Complex Set of Pressures
Analysts note that the surge in
piracy stems from a mix of poverty-driven opportunism, attractive targets in
high-density shipping lanes and limited enforcement capacity.
Coastal communities in Indonesia
and the Philippines, which lack stable incomes and development opportunities,
continue to be recruitment grounds for small-scale maritime criminals. Many
attacks involve simple boardings where engine parts, tools or navigational
equipment are stolen.
Paneir said the operational
geography of the region compounds the problem. “The Straits of Malacca, the
Singapore Strait and the waters spilling into the South China Sea are some of
the world’s most congested sea lanes. Ships slow down, visibility drops and
small craft can move in and out of shallow waters with ease. These conditions
are ideal for low-risk maritime crime.”
He pointed to the eastern
approaches of the Singapore Strait, particularly the Phillip Channel and waters
around Pulau Nipah, as the most vulnerable areas.
These zones force vessels to
reduce speed due to heavy traffic and navigation bottlenecks. “We are seeing a
diversification of targets,” he said. “Attacks on barges and tugboats have
become more frequent because they are slow, lightly crewed and often not
well-guarded.”
For Malaysia, the challenge is
magnified by long coastlines, dense shipping flows and the limits of its
maritime enforcement capacity. Jurisdictional overlaps with Indonesia and
Singapore complicate cross-border pursuit and delay response efforts.
Paneir warned that this
combination of structural vulnerabilities and shifting criminal behaviour
requires an urgent recalibration of Malaysia’s maritime strategy.
Existing Mechanisms Are Not
Enough
Regional arrangements such as the
Malacca Strait Patrols, involving Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, have
helped contain large-scale piracy. Coordinated operations and aerial
surveillance have historically reduced major attacks, but recent trends indicate
that these measures are no longer sufficient.
“The Malacca Strait Patrols are
extremely important, but they remain a coordinated rather than integrated
framework,” Paneir said. “The absence of cross-border pursuit is the single
biggest operational gap. Criminals know that once they cross into another
jurisdiction, the enforcement vessel has to stop. It is a loophole that gets
exploited repeatedly.”
Differences in legal systems,
evidence handling and prosecutorial standards also make it difficult to bring
offenders to justice. Real-time intelligence sharing remains inconsistent,
while some enforcement units struggle with the capabilities gap created by
fast-moving small craft that operate at night.
“These criminals are agile, and
they understand the limits of formal cooperation,” Paneir explained. “We need
faster intelligence, more shared surveillance, better night operations and
clearer legal protocols. Without them, maritime crime will continue adapting
faster than enforcement.”
Maritime Security as Economic
Policy
Paneir stressed that stabilising
the South China Sea is essential for economic growth, not just deterrence.
Malaysia’s export economy, fisheries, offshore energy sector and maritime
logistics depend heavily on predictable and secure sea lanes. Rising insurance
premiums, shifting shipping patterns and operational delays all carry direct
economic consequences.
“Maritime security is economic
security,” he said. “A stable South China Sea allows us to expand the blue
economy, drive down shipping costs, attract investment in coastal
infrastructure and protect national revenue sources. Once you connect maritime
safety to economic prosperity, it becomes clear that this is not a police
problem. It is a national development priority.”
Economists warn that maritime
disruptions could undermine Malaysia’s competitiveness as a regional
transshipment hub and damage investor confidence in port expansion projects,
marine services and offshore energy ventures. Fisheries and aquaculture industries,
which sustain thousands of livelihoods, are also vulnerable to illegal fishing
and cross-border poaching.
Need for ASEAN-Level Coordination
Paneir argued that ASEAN must
play a more central role in regional maritime security. A broader ASEAN
framework, such as a Coast Guard Network or Maritime Fusion Centre, would allow
member states to share intelligence, surveillance feeds, technical equipment
and legal expertise.
“Piracy and smuggling are
regional problems, and they require regional solutions,” he said. “ASEAN
already coordinates on disaster relief and counter-terrorism. There is no
reason maritime security should remain confined to bilateral or trilateral
arrangements.”
Such a framework would allow
countries with limited resources to access shared radar systems, drones,
satellite monitoring and training. It could also harmonise judicial cooperation
to prevent criminals from exploiting gaps between legal systems.
Paneir emphasised that any ASEAN
initiative must be implemented with full respect for national sovereignty. “We
are not talking about surrendering control,” he said. “We are talking about
integrating information and operations in a way that allows each country to
enforce its laws more effectively.”
Role of External Partners
Malaysia continues to welcome
capacity-building assistance from countries such as Japan, the United States,
South Korea and Australia. Paneir said external partners can provide meaningful
support in the form of drones, radar systems, maritime patrol aircraft,
evidence-handling training and infrastructure financing.
“We value external assistance
when it is aligned with national needs and free from political conditions,” he
said. “Malaysia must retain leadership and ensure that any support is
sustainable. Technology without long-term interoperability and maintenance is
not useful.”
He added that external support
should complement, not replace, regional coordination. “Our partners can
strengthen capacity, but the strategic direction must come from ASEAN.”
Immediate Steps for Malaysia
Paneir recommended several
immediate actions for Malaysia, including increased night patrols, greater use
of unmanned aerial systems and improved radar coverage in known hotspots. He
also called for enhanced real-time communication with Indonesia and Singapore,
refined pursuit protocols and better training for boarding teams.
Shipping companies should be
given updated guidelines on onboard security, reporting procedures and
deterrent measures. Legal preparations must be improved to ensure that captured
offenders can be prosecuted without delay.
Community engagement is equally
important. Many coastal residents witness suspicious activities but lack
incentives or channels to report them. Paneir said Malaysia must strengthen
public communication efforts and build trust with coastal populations.
Addressing Root Causes
The long-term solution, Paneir
argued, lies not just in enforcement but in addressing the socio-economic roots
of maritime crime. Many perpetrators come from marginalised coastal communities
with limited employment opportunities.
“We cannot secure the sea without
stabilising the shore,” he said. “Development is a security tool. Better
education, vocational training, marine services employment, aquaculture and
community engagement all reduce the appeal of maritime crime.”
He called for integrated patrols
involving fisheries, customs and maritime agencies, as well as clearer maritime
governance frameworks to reduce disputes and illegal exploitation.
A Strategic Imperative
Paneir concluded that securing
the South China Sea is essential for Malaysia’s economic future.
“A safe and stable maritime
domain attracts investment, protects livelihoods and strengthens national
resilience,” he said. “The economic potential of the South China Sea is
enormous, but only if we protect it. Maritime security is not just about
stopping crime. It is about safeguarding our future.”
2025-12-02 08:23:39
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