Malacca Straits

"This book offers annotated translations of documents touching on Dutch admiral Cornelis Matelieff de Jonge and his voyage to Asia between 1605 and 1608. These translations are aimed at a contemporary English-speaking Asian readership interested in the early modern history of European trade, warfare and expansion in Southeast Asia with a focus on Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. Researchers specialising in early European colonialism, international law, international relations, security studies, and diplomatic history will also find that the documents translated in this volume offer new and unfamiliar perspectives. Materlieff’s business acumen, military and diplomataic prowess as well as his vision of empire all have implications for examining not only European expansion into Southeast Asia, but also into other regions at large, including especially south Asia, Africa and the Americas.
Admiral Matelieff was a director of the Rotterdam Chamber of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) formed in 1602. He was appointed fleet commander on one of the company’s first voyages to Asia. Matelieff’s mission was both commercial and military: he launched a major sea-borne attack on the Portuguese colony of Melaka, arranged for the signing of treaties with the rulers of Johor, Aceh and Ternate, and founded the first Dutch fort on the island of Ternate. His endeavours, however, to open the Chinese market for the Dutch company proved unsuccessful.
Following his return to the Dutch Republic in September 1608, Matelieff penned a series of memorials and letters. In these he advanced recommendations for changing the way the company organized its fleets and conducted business. More importantly he offered  his Dutch contemporaries a vision of empire in Asia. The materials contained in this volume offer important observations of a perceptive analyst who was also determined to grasp the political and economic structures of Asia, and also of inter-state relations in across this vast region. At a time of Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Danish, French and English engagement in Southeast Asia, Matelieff sought to critically assess and strategize on the ways in which Europeans were increasingly engaging with Asian polities and their rulers.

This book will be released for sale in Australasia and Europe in June 2014 and available in the Americas after September 2014
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The Singapore and Melaka Straits are a place where regional and long-distance maritime trading networks converge, linking Europe, the Mediterranean, eastern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the Indian subcontinent with key centres of trade in Thailand, Indochina, insular Southeast Asia, China, Korea and Japan. The first half of the seventeenth century brought heightened political, commercial and diplomatic activity to this region. It has long been clear to both the Portuguese and the Dutch that whoever controlled the waters off modern Singapore gained a firm grip on regional as well as long-distance intra-Asian trade. By the early 1600s Portuguese power and prestige were waning and the arrival of the Dutch East India Company constituted a major threat. Moreover, the rapid expansion and growing power of the Acehnese Empire, and rivalry between Johor and Aceh, was creating a new context for European trade in Asia.

Drawing on maps, rare printed works, and unpublished manuscripts written in Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and Latin, Peter Borschberg provides new information on the diplomatic activities of Asian powers, and shows how the Portuguese and Spanish attempted to restore their political fortunes by containing the rapid rise of Dutch Power in the region. Key documents, transcribed and translated into English for the first time, make up a series of appendices.

The product of more than two decades of research in European libraries, archives, The Singapore and Melaka Straits will be of great interest to readers in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, where little is known about this pivotal pre-colonial period. It is also an invaluable resource for historians and other students of early modern Europe and of the European presence in Asia.
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What factors are discouraging or encouraging piracy in the Horn of Africa, West Africa and the Strait of Malacca? This report finds that a combination of factors in each of the regions have affected levels of piracy, at different times and depending on the type of piracy. For example, these factors may differ for subsistence pirates (largely gangs made up of part-timers who are often poor and seeking an alternative source of income) and professional pirates (hierarchically organised syndicates with well-developed logistical chains).

Factors encouraging piracy

Bueger (2015: 34) identifies five triggers for piracy from the literature: geography; weak law enforcement; maritime insecurity; economic dislocation, including economic shocks in the fishing sector; and cultural acceptability. Clark and Hansen (2012: 502) also identify the increased trend towards ‘skeleton crews’, competing demands for scarce security resources, the willingness of owner-operators to pay ever-larger ransoms, and the global proliferation of arms as factors that have contributed to piracy. Other factors include:
◾Illegal fishing and environmental degradation, which is mentioned as a key grievance driving piracy. Criminal gangs use this narrative while targeting valuable commercial ships unconnected to illegal fishing.
◾Community support, which enables pirates to hold hostages for months in ‘safe havens’.
◾‘Sea blindness’, including lax maritime rules and regulations, has weakened states’ capacity to combat piracy.

Factors discouraging piracy

Piracy has been reduced through a mix of methods, including naval patrols, self-protection measures and armed guards on vessels, and capacity building efforts and development on shore (Anyimadu, 2013: 17). Asariotis et al. (2014b: 57) suggest that piracy reduction depends on the economic situation and political stability in affected regions, as well as strengthened maritime security cooperation, information sharing, and the effective prosecution of pirates and those who benefit from piracy. In addition, an expert consulted for this report identifies three types of effective non-military land-based counter-piracy efforts:
◾shutting down the market for loot, which involves  better real-time tracking and registration of ships, better regulation and registration of refineries, ports and shipping companies, and more surveillance of unusual market manoeuvres
◾providing economic opportunities to increase the opportunity cost of engaging in piracy
◾decreasing the political space in which pirates can operate: for example, unifying elites against piracy works well and does not require particularly strong state institutions.

Discouraging piracy and solving piracy require different approaches; suppression is not the same as a lasting solution.  Counter-piracy efforts also need to recognise the different forms of piracy, which require differing initiatives to counteract them.

This article delves into the historical evolution of the Singapore Strait or Straits from the medieval period to the early modern era, spanning approximately four centuries. Preceding the establishment of the British trading post in 1819, the understanding of the toponym "Singapura" was primarily captured in Johann Heinrich Zedler's German Universal-Lexicon from the mid-18th century. Zedler extended the toponym to various geographic features, including the straits, positing that they derived their name from the nearby settlement.

Building on Zedler's claim, the author examines early European cartographical materials, proposing the Temasek-Singapura paradigm, later expanding it into a broader paradigm by the 20th century. Victor Obdeijn's assertion that the Straits of Singapore were relatively "new" features challenges the traditional association of these toponyms. Obdeijn suggested that Singapura could not have functioned as a trading center before the Portuguese arrival in the early 16th century.

Examining Arabic, Turkish, and predominantly Portuguese sources, the article draws crucial conclusions. It highlights historical interpretations of the toponym Singapura beyond the "Lion City" mentioned in the Sejarah Melayu. Early Portuguese chronicles emphasize the ruler's authority derived from controlling waterways, earning him the title "Lord of the Strait(s)." However, by the late 16th and early 17th centuries, Singapura was no longer linked to the settlement or island but exclusively to the straits. The paper underscores the fallacy in Zedler's assumption that the maritime arteries were named after the town; instead, the straits bestowed their name upon the nearby settlement of Singapura.

'A number of books dealing with piracy have been published in recent years. This book stands out by the breadth of its coverage, which, unusually and much to be welcomed, includes detailed consideration of both public and private law. The book is also notable for the quality and range of expertise of its contributors, who are not only leading experts in the field but a mixture of academic and practising lawyers.'

Amerika Syarikat (USA), India dan China merupakan tiga Negara yang mempunyai kepentingan masing- masing di Selat Melaka. Ketiga- tiga negara ini mempunyai sebab yang strategik untuk terus berada di Selat Melaka untuk jangka masa panjang. Tragedi 11/9 telah memberikan satu anjakan baru di dalam sistem keselamatan antarabangsa

As a maritime nation, Malaysia has developed its own maritime capabilities in order to safeguard its national interest over the sea especially in Exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Any activity that could threaten the strength of the economy can be regarded as betray national interests and actions must be taken to prevent it vociferously. South China Sea (SCS) is increasingly important not only in terms of defence strategy even in economic development of the country. It is used by the warships and merchant ships. This SCS is rich with natural resources such as oil and fishery. These natural resources will invite many foreign countries to come and do illegal activity in Malaysia's EEZ. Zone (EEZ) together with its impact towards Malaysian maritime security. This research was conducted to analyze the foreign activities in Malaysia's Economy Exclusive Zone (EEZ) together with its impact towards Malaysian maritime security. Where there are many foreign activities occurs in the waters of our country which indirectly affect the economy and national security. Therefore, the Security Forces should work together with the relevant agencies to safeguard the security of our country's waters from activities that could be harmful to our country's waters. This article has three objectives, namely 1) To identify foreign activities in Malaysia's EEZ; 2) To examine the impact of foreign activities to Malaysia's security. This article has used both primary and secondary data. Primary data was collected from structured interviews involving ten informants in various professional fields that are directly involved in maritime security in the Straits of Malacca. Secondary data was collected from literature reviews based on scientific publications, theses, journal articles, and online material, such as newspaper articles. Primary data was also obtained from professional respondents from abroad through electronic media such as email. The findings of this article are 1) Foreign activities in Malaysia EEZ can be divided into two typestraditional and nontraditional security issues; 2) The impact of foreign activities in EEZ is the national security of Malaysia became threated.

This paper discusses situation of sea navigation in south East Asia fo cusing on the Strait of Malacca. The strait links the Indian and Pacific oceans, which is considered one of the busiest in several narrow channels around the wo rld. The paper highlights the significance of the strait to global maritime trad e, volume of traffic, and rising environmental and social consequences in the st rait. A feasibility study of constructing a new shipping canal in the South Thai Kra Isthmus as an alternative option of Malacca route had been studied since 19 th century. The paper explores suitable sites for a potential shipping canal in the Kra Isthmus using physiographic spatial data i.e., elevation, sea charts, ge ology, soils and river systems. Each spatial data was considered as a separate d ecision variable for site evaluation. Separate evaluation criterions were prepar ed for each variable based on shipping canal requirements. Overlaying the maps i n ArcGIS environment, the variables were carefully evaluated, and five geographi c sites for the canal were derived. The length of the shipping canal over sea an d land was computed for each site. Site B located in south of Ranong and Chumpho n provinces, was found shortest one, whereas site C in Surat Thani, Pangnna and Krabi provinces, was the longest. However, each site consisted of benefits and c onstrains.

Straits of Malacca waterways is an important sea-lanes to Japan, not only for economy purpose but also in strategic aspect. But that area is not a Japan's territories. So it is impossible to Japan to endure this waterways safe from maritime threats. Using data and research findings from 2001-2016, this article will debate about Japan's role to enhance the maritim security in straits of Malacca.This study has three objectives, namely 1) Explains the importance of the straits of Malacca against Japanese maritime strategic from the year 2001-2015; 2) Analyse strategic challenges in the maritime navigation and maritime safety aspects in straits of Malacca to Japan and 3) analyze the relevance of Japan's contribution and cooperation with the littoral states in maritime safety and security aspects in the Straits of Malacca. The findings reveal that Straits of Malacca is an important waterways to Japan from strategic aspect (including safety of navigation and maritime security). Japanese government and NGOs have shown their concern and commitment to cooperate in several aspects like exercises and technical to Littoral States. The financial aids has given to Littoral States through Straits of Malacca Council so that it will reduce the high expenses of management.

Phytoplankton community and its relationships with environmental factors were investigated in the surface waters from Malacca Strait (MS) to the connected South China Sea (SCS) in May of 2011. Salinity was significantly lower in MS. No significant spatial variations were found for most of the nutrients (except silicate) between MS and connected SCS. Silicate gradually increased from Andaman Sea to the southern MS, and then declined from the southern MS to SCS. Phytoplankton mainly belonged to diatoms and dinoflagellates. The dominant species of diatoms were Skeletonema, Pseudo-nitzschia, Navicula, and Thalassionema. Dinoflagellates were mainly presented by Prorocentrum, Scrippsiella and nano-dinoflagellate. Diatoms contributed to most of the phytoplankton abundance in the middle and south MS. However, dinoflagellates predominated in the side of Andaman Sea or SCS. Chlorophyll a concentration and phytoplankton abundance were the highest in the shallowest sampling station of middle MS. CCA results suggested that salinity and silicate were the most important environmental variables influencing the phytoplankton spatial variation. The prosperity of diatoms in the middle MS may be promoted mainly by the sufficient nutrients brought by the deep-water intrusion or river inflow. Silicate can be considered as an indicator for high phytoplankton biomass, but could not be the limited factor for the phytoplankton growth in MS.

Statistics released last month by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) shows a steady decline in pirate attacks from Somalia. Good news, of course, for the shipping industry and a welcome acknowledgment for the actors involved in fighting piracy in the Gulf of Aden. At the same time, we are witnessing an increase of piracy in Southeast Asia. Will the same counter-piracy methods employed in the Gulf of Aden assist in reducing piracy in Southeast Asia? 2011 proved to be a dramatic year for the shipping industry, with 237 actual and attempted attacks ascribed to Somali pirates, 2012 showed a remarkable decline of approximately 68%, to 75 actual and attempted attacks. In the first half of 2013 only eight attacks have been recorded. We can attribute the decline in piracy off the coast of Somalia to a mixture of counter-piracy methods.

This paper discusses the situation of sea navigation in south East Asia focusing on the Strait of Malacca. The strait links the Indian and Pacific oceans, which is considered one of the busiest in several narrow channels around the world. The paper highlights the significance of the strait to global maritime trade, volume of traffic, and rising environmental and social consequences in the strait. A feasibility study of constructing a new shipping canal in the South Thai Kra Isthmus as an alternative option of Malacca route had been studied since 19th century. The paper explores suitable sites for a potential shipping canal in the Kra Isthmus using physiographic spatial data i.e., elevation, sea charts, geology, soils and river systems. Each spatial data was considered as a separate decision variable for site evaluation. Separate evaluation criterions were prepared for each variable based on shipping canal requirements. Overlaying the maps in GIS environment, the variables were carefully evaluated, and five geographic sites for the canal were derived. The length of the shipping canal over sea and land was computed for each site. Site B located in south of Ranong and Chumphon provinces, was the shortest one, whereas site C in Surat Thani, Pangnna and Krabi provinces was the longest. However, each site consisted of benefits and constraints.