SUBANG, Malaysia (Reuters) — Defense ministers from Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines on Thursday (October 12) launched a joint air patrol initiative at Subang Air Base on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, as part of an effort to enhance air and maritime security in the region.
The joint patrol is a move taken by the three countries to combat non-traditional threats such as piracy, kidnapping, terrorism and other transnational crimes.
A city-wide siege by Islamic militants in the southern Philippines in May has alarmed the country’s neighbors, including Indonesia and Malaysia.
In June this year, warships from the three countries held drills near a naval base in northern Borneo to mark the launch of coordinated sea patrols.
