The government may deploy soldiers on islands in the Straits of Malacca to enhance the security of Malaysian waters and to ward off pirates, said Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

He said10 soldiers were sent to Pulau Perak, Kedah, two months ago. Prior to that, army personnel had been sent to the eastern Sabah coastal areas.

Najib, who is also defence minister, said several factors would be considered before deploying troops on other islands in the Straits of Malacca.

It would cost a lot to place army personnel permanently on an island, as this would include the building of a jetty and other facilities, and it might not be economical in terms of need, he explained.

"Pirates may not be using the islands for their activities, instead they use speed boats to enter Malaysian waters whenever they see opportunities to attack the ships," he was quoted as saying by Bernama .

Temporary measure

He said the placement of soldiers on Pulau Perak was temporary and the government would consider whether or not to build a permanent facility there, he said.

He said the navy would continue monitoring operations by sending patrol boats including its commando unit, Paskal, on patrol.

On the proposal to send religious speakers to southern Thailand to help the Thai government in dealing with extremists, Najib said the plan is still at the discussion stage between the two governments.

A committee co-chaired by Foreign Affairs Minister Syed Hamid Albar and his Thai counterpart are discussing the details, he said.

"In principle, we have agreed to send religious speakers but any decision must be made with the blessings of the Thai government," he added.