for Sabah. Authorities are also concerned over possible collaboration and cooperation network between JI and ASG in the Southern Philippines. The JI network is still active in Southeast Asia especially in Indonesia with networks in the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Malaysia has successfully conducted operations to curb JI activities with a series of arrests including the apprehension of Mas Selamat Kastari and his two accomplices in Johor on 1 April 2009. Similarly efforts by Indonesia and Singapore to curb terrorism through the arrests or deaths of principal terrorist planners are regarded as parts of the ongoing efforts which clearly require cooperation at the regional level. JI’s role in promoting terrorism still requires continuous and special monitoring as despite the deaths of several senior JI leaders, its splinters continue to recruit and conduct its activities which needs to be completely eliminated. Suicide bombing is not a new phenomenon and the possibility of its being used in Malaysia should not be discounted. Malaysia adopts a proactive stance in the fight against regional terrorism. Those identified as terrorists have been apprehended under the Internal Security Act. Countries in the region through their respective enforcement agencies are continuously enhancing their comprehensive cooperation and exchange of information to curb terrorist groups’ plans. Although reports of piracy and armed robbery cases have declined recently such crimes need to be continuously monitored as it may resurface at anytime and as a result of continued economic crisis in some countries in the region; internal conflict; difficulties faced by maritime enforcement agencies to continuously and frequently monitor situations and increased sophistication of pirates. It is also believed that organised crime may also be involved in these illegal activities. Piracy has been significantly reduced as a result of increased bilateral and multilateral cooperation and coordinated efforts by regional navies and enforcement agencies. The advent of the MALSINDO coordinated patrol cooperation and the Eyes in the Sky (EiS) MALAYSIA’S NATIONAL DEFENCE POLICY Page 10