Singapore has opened talks with neighbor Malaysia about placing guards on commercial ships that ply the strategic Malacca Straits in an effort to boost anti-terror defenses at sea, a senior government official said Friday. But Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan also conceded that terrorist groups remained potent in the region, and said a successful strike on Singapore was inevitable despite efforts to thwart extremists. "They (the Malaysians) are very keen to see how we can further strengthen the security in the Straits of Malacca and the Straits of Singapore," Tan said, according to an official transcript of a news conference sent to The Associated Press. That would be done "possibly by moving from coordinated patrols, to having some security presence on ships." The proposal is the latest bid by the Southeast Asian city-state to protect vessels using the vital waterway, which connects the Indian and Pacific Oceans and is a key trade route, especially for oil and gas from the Middle East. "Talks are going on now. I think that we will see further developments," Tan said, adding that he raised the issue in July in meetings with Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Defense Minister Najib Razak. But a successful strike within Singapore would happen, he said, in part because the country was a strong and vocal ally of Washington. "We are an iconic target. If terrorists can mount a successful attack on Singapore, they would make headlines," Tan said. "One of these days, they will get through, and there will be an attack in Singapore. And we should not let it devastate us," he said. --more 1500 Local Time 1200 GMT
