Navigational safety and environmental protection in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore are long term initiatives. Therefore the funding for such efforts should also be seen as a long term proposition. Project or activity-based funding as such may not be able to fully meet the needs of the littoral States. A solution could be the establishment of a pool of funds for navigational safety and environmental protection in the Straits which would support not only the purchase of but also the maintenance of aids to navigation. This would be in line with the Kuala Lumpur Statement on Enhancement of Security, Safety and Environmental Protection in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. Such a proposal however would have to be accepted by the users before it could be implemented.

　

 At the same time the littoral States could also pursue more innovative approaches towards navigational safety and environmental protection. A cooperative arrangement in the Strait of Malacca could be constructed around an existing framework of international conventions and assistance could be gained for programmes or projects aimed at ensuring compliance with specific international conventions. The 2002 Conference of Parties to the SOLAS Convention for example called for the IMO Secretary General to establish a Maritime Security Trust Fund (IMO 2002) which was subsequently established in June 2003. The idea for a similar trust fund for the Malacca Straits however, may not be well received by the littoral States especially if the funds would be administered by the IMO like the Maritime Security Trust Fund. MARPOL 73/78 also offers opportunities for co-operation particularly in the establishment of waste reception facilities which is still lacking in the Straits area.

　

 The sustainability of the burden sharing mechanism would also depend on how the contributions are made. A completely voluntary approach towards funding burden sharing in the Straits may be the most attractive to the users. But is it the most beneficial to the littoral States? The Kuala Lumpur meeting called for users to 'voluntarily' contribute to the burden sharing. Does this mean that the contribution is completely voluntary? Or could the users be convinced to volunteer to contribute via a vehicle such as the funding mechanism proposed at the Kuala Lumpur Meeting? Such an approach would ensure that costly projects would also be funded through user contribution unlike what occurred at the Kuala Lumpur Meeting where there were no takers for the wreck removal project which was the most expensive tabled for consideration.

　

 The quest for sustainability may also mean that the scope of cooperation be expanded to include other issues. Besides shipping related environmental issues other environmental protection areas could be considered - resource protection being one that is worth considering. This could include projects to better understand the impact of vessel-based pollution on ecosystems such as mangroves. Additionally, projects aimed at understanding the hydrology of the Straits could also be proposed, particularly when such projects would contribute towards improving navigational safety in the Straits (Basiron 2005).

　

 The question of sustainability is an important one but one that is difficult to resolve. Ultimately though, it is possible that Indonesia, Malaysia and to a lesser extent Singapore would probably have to live with the fact that they will receive funding for capital expenditure but not necessarily for maintenance and operational costs which are often cumulatively higher than the initial investments to purchase the equipment despite agreement to provide funds for both at the Kuala Lumpur Meeting.

　

　

 While the focus of this symposium and most of the current efforts in the Straits of Malacca is on navigational safety and environmental protection, it is also important not to lose sight of the broader significance of the Straits to the littoral States. A more comprehensive or holistic look at the Straits would ensure that its overall benefits in terms of non-shipping goods and services are maintained and conserved. This would ensure that other threats to the Straits well-being are also addressed. A broader outlook on the Straits would also open up opportunities for cooperation beyond navigational safety issues. It should also be noted that the littoral States themselves have had very little co-operation outside of navigational safety and shipping related environmental issues (Nontji 2006).

　

　

 Co-operation between the littoral States and users in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore is set to enter a new era at a time when the number of vessels transiting the Straits reached an all time high of 65,649 vessels in 2006 (Annex 1). After a prolonged process of awareness building, research, negotiation and prompted by security concerns both parties appeared to have come to an agreement of sorts to increase the tempo of co-operation beyond the funds and technical assistance received only from Japan. It is foreseeable that a platform would be needed to accommodate this new level of co-operation in the Straits. There is already agreement to establish a forum for dialogue between the littoral States and the users as well as a mechanism for funding project and activities. Given these changes, it is foreseeable that the roles and positions of the interested parties would also change. The littoral States for one would have to be more specific in their request for assistance and this was observable during the Kuala Lumpur meeting. Similarly, the user community would have to better co-ordinate their views to respond to the requests from the littoral States. There are still however fundamental questions which have not been satisfactorily addressed at recent meetings on the Straits. The perennial questions of who pays? For What? and How? remained largely unanswered but progress is discernable in the proposals for the dialogue and a funding mechanism. This leads us to the question of whether the new-look co-operation could be sustained particularly given the high cost of maintaining aids to navigation.

　

 The littoral States however do have the experience and institutional history in the operations of the TTEG and the Malacca Straits Revolving Fund which would be useful in shaping future co-operation in the area. These two entities could form the platforms upon which future co-operative endeavours are built. At the same time it is also worthwhile to consider broadening the scope of co-operation to include other areas besides navigational safety.

　

　

 Ahmad, A.R. (1997). The Financial Cost of Risk Management in the Straits of Malacca in Hamzah Ahmad (ed). The Straits of Malacca: International Co-operation in Trade, Funding and Navigational Safety. Kuala Lumpur: Pelanduk Publications.

　

 B.A. Hazmah (1995). Managing the Straits of Malacca: A MIMA Report. Kuala Lumpur: Maritime Institute of Malaysia.

　

 B.A. Hamzah and Mohd Nizam Basiron (1996). The Straits of Malacca: Some Funding Proposals. Kuala Lumpur. Maritime Institute of Malaysia.

　

 Basiron, M.N. (2005). Exploring Modalities for Cooperation in the Strait of Malacca: an Environment Perspective. Paper presented at the Jakarta Meeting on Enhancement of Safety, Security and Safety in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. 7 - 8 September 2005, Jakarta.

　

 Choi Shing Kwok. Permanent Secretary. Ministry of Transport, Singapore. Opening Address at the Revolving Fund Handover Ceremony. 26 April 2006.

　

 Gold, E. (2000). Preventing and Managing Marine Pollution in the Malacca and Singapore Straits: Framework for Collaboration in Singapore Journal of International and Comparative Law Special Feature: Implementing Article 43 of UNCLOS in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.

　

 M. Taufiqurrahman (2007). RI, U.S to Pursue Closer Defense Ties. Jakarta Post, 14 February 2007.

　

 Japan to Offer Indonesia Three Patrol Boats. Xinhua News Daily. 13 June 2006.

　

 Koh, T and R. Beckman (2001) Ensuring Continued Safety and Clean Seas - the Way Forward. Maritime Hub Magazine, Issue 8.

　

 Marlow, P.B. 91995) Financing Straits Management. Paper presented at the KL Workshop on the Strait of Malacca. 24 - 25 January 2005, Kuala Lumpur.

　

 Nontji, A. (2006). Managing the Marine Environment in the Straits of Malacca in Mohd Nizam Basiron and Amir Dastan (eds). Building a Comprehensive Security Environment in the Straits of Malacca. Kuala Lumpur: Maritime Institute of Malaysia.

　

 Teh Kong Leong (1997). The Malacca Straits Revolving Fund: A Unique Facility in Hamzah Ahmad (ed). The Straits of Malacca: International Co-operation in Trade, Funding and Navigational Safety. Kuala Lumpur: Pelanduk Publications.

　

 Valencia, M.J. (2006). Straits of Malacca Co-operation: A Glass Half Full The Jakarta Post, 21 december 2006.

　

 Wilkins, T. (2006). Previous Developments and Future Challenges: Safety and Security in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. Presentation at the Kuala Lumpur Meeting on Enhancement of Safety, Security and Safety in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. 18 - 20 September 2006, Kuala Lumpur.

　

 IMO adopts comprehensive maritime security measures