LOVE or loathe it — the fact remains that our society these days is more excited over gorgeous, curvy Math teachers and charming nasi lemak sellers than the security threats on our shores.
Granted that receiving, staring at and sharing photographs of attractive people will make communities happier compared with chatting about dreary border patrols, we cannot afford to totally dismiss security issues.
With more than 120,000 ships or one-third of global maritime trade passing through Southeast Asia — home to some of the world’s busiest ports — our surrounding seas are swiftly becoming hotspots for piracy and kidnapping.
According to the International Maritime Bureau, Southeast Asia recorded 178 cases of piracy last year,the highest in the world.
Within our shores just last week, a Malaysian fisherman was shot and injured by gunmen off Pulau Tigabu, in northeast Sabah.
This followed last month’s incident, where Filipino gunmen robbed and kidnapped three Malaysian fishermen off Semporna in Sabah’s east coast.
Prior to that, five Malaysian tugboat crew members were abducted, also off the coast of Sabah.
After those incidents, the Royal Malaysian Navy is enhancing security tie-ups with the Eastern Sabah Security Command and police, while the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency has stepped up patrols across our waters, which have been transited by more than 20,000 boats and ships in the first eight months of this year.
The government has also inked agreements with Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines to conduct joint patrols, tackle piracy and enhance maritime security.
Recent years have seen the proliferation of drone technology, known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), in many countries.
In its early days, drones were primarily associated with unpopular military applications, such as those used by the Americans, British and Israelis — even Nigeria now has developed armed drones to fight its insurgencies.
As drone technology becomes affordable and accessible, they have become a useful tool for marine authorities to patrol, survey and ensure ocean security.
In South Korea, drones are used to monitor ports and terminals, while Japan will be using them to monitor ships and improve their response capabilities in disasters.
Here, the authorities have been leveraging drones to prevent terror attacks, counter human trafficking and keep smuggling in check.
Police are stepping up their use of drone technology to increase surveillance, while the Forestry Department is using them to monitor deforestation and prevent illegal logging. Drones have also been deployed to monitor floods and support relief assistance.
Unarmed and non-military drones are easily available these days. They come in many shapes and sizes, and the cost varies from RM300 to thousands of ringgit for advanced versions.
Today’s drones are handsomely equipped with the global positioning system (GPS), 12-megapixel cameras, follow focus, 4K video recording and sensors to avoid obstacles.
They are capable of flying at speeds of up to 65kph over a distance of 7km and stay in the air for almost 30 minutes.
As technological features get more advanced, and their cost of ownership comes down swiftly, the use of drones by ordinary people has inadvertently become a concern, causing more security headaches for governments.
Although the flying of drones is allowed in the country, there are laws that govern these remote-controlled devices. Some of the regulations include the flying limit of not more than 120m and restrictions near or over crowded areas.
The drones must only be flown during the day and, most importantly, they are not permitted in airports, army bases and telecommunication stations.
Putrajaya has been designated as a drone no-fly zone by the Department of Civil Aviation, mainly due to the location of ministries and other government offices, as well as the prime minister’s official residence.
In addition, one must also possess a private pilot’s licence and obtain a permit when flying a drone that weighs more than 20kg.
Did you know that China has more than 40 drone schools that are vigorously training pilots in handling this technology?
We definitely do not want what happened at Dubai’s airport in the United Arab Emirates to occur in our own Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
Last month, an unauthorised drone was detected there and it resulted in the shutdown of airspace around Dubai International Airport for nearly 30 minutes. It was the airport’s third drone intrusion within two years.
With more than 15 years in journalism and a Masters in counselling psychology, Azura Abas is always drawn to the mystery of the human mind and behaviours.