Indonesia says IMB piracy counting is way off

Indonesia dipsutes that there were 42 cases of piracy in the Strait of Malacca in 2006, claiming that the number is much lower, as set out here:

Indonesia today refuted there were 42 piracy cases in the Melaka Straits in 2006 as stated by the Kuala Lumpur-based International Maritime Bureau (IMB).

According to its own data, there were only two piracy cases in the Melaka Straits last year and its Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono said his ministry would send an official letter to the bureau on the vast difference.

"We have a different figure. The situation is not as bad as that reported by the IMB. That report is misleading," he told reporters after attending a convocation ceremony at Universiti Pancasila here today.

He was concerned that the IMB's statement could affect Indonesia's competitive edge internationally.

The data indicated that the Indonesian armed forces and police could not control the area although piracy in the world's busiest straits continues to decline," he said as reported in the official website of Indonesia's Ministry of Communications and Information.

He said according to data from the Indonesian navy, there were 38 piracy cases in 2004, 15 in 2005, two last year, and so far this year there had been no case considered big enough to be included in the IMB data.

Indonesian navy commander Admiral Slamet Soebijanto said the IMB statement was influenced by foreign interests which wanted to take part in guarding the Straits.

Sovereignty issues, anyone? Perhaps Admiral Slamet Soebijanto for $1000, Alex?