Personally, I see no fault in having some sort of arrangement with the US in having their military assets along the Straits of Melaka. In fact, it is beneficial.

Why? Because our own Royal Marine Police - a Coast Guard equivalent - can't even protect local fisherman from pirates let alone defend against a terrorist strike.

Our navy's policy to have at least three ships to patrol the straits is flawed. Where are we to get those ships? Can those ships do the job in the first place? We have less ships than the Republic of Singapore Navy does. Our ships are also much inferior.

Add to the fact that we have to patrol the South China Sea and handle existing operations in Sabah, where on earth are we to get enough ships that can adequately patrol the straits?

The media continues to play around with the number 27 with regards to the number of 'new' ships to be obtained by the Malaysian navy but so far only the acquisition of six 6 has been agreed upon. What happened to the other 21 ships?

It's time Malaysians do something about this. We might have little interest in our armed forces. But their presence has a positive impact on the way foreigners perceive Malaysia - more so post- Sept 11.

I disagree that a terrorist strike in the Straits of Melaka is not realistic. After all before Sept 11, 2001, Sept 11 itself was deemed unrealistic.