OVERVIEW
Malaysia’s Maritime Security is shaped by its strategic geographic location and economic interests, making it vulnerable to transnational threats like piracy, smuggling, and trafficking. Positioned at key maritime chokepoints, Malaysia faces both external and internal security challenges, especially around its offshore energy assets in volatile regions such as Sabah.
APAC Assistance assessed the evolving threats facing Malaysia’s Maritime Security zones, with a focus on Sabah’s eastern seaboard. Additionally, we also examined historical and current risks, including militant activity, piracy, and organized smuggling, as well as the role of domestic governance and regional cooperation in mitigating these threats.
ONGOING SECURITY RISKS
Sabah and Eastern Malaysia’s maritime zones face evolving security threats, historically including kidnappings by groups like Abu Sayyaf. While no such incidents have occurred since January 2020 due to stronger law enforcement and regional cooperation, underlying risks persist due to instability in the nearby Southern Philippines.
Piracy and maritime crime continue in Malaysian waters, especially in the Singapore and Malacca Straits, which saw 62 incidents in 2024. While Sabah is less affected by piracy, it remains a key transit point for drug trafficking and other cross-border crimes like fuel smuggling and undocumented migration. These issues are compounded by local tensions over environmental damage and unequal resource development.
GOVERNMENT AND REGIONAL SECURITY RESPONSE
The Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) has strengthened its role since coming under Malaysia’s Ministry of Home Affairs in 2018, improving coordination, intelligence-sharing, and rapid response capabilities. These enhancements have reduced cross-border kidnappings and militant threats, while ongoing reforms focus on upgrading surveillance, training, and policies to meet evolving security needs.
Malaysia is enhancing maritime security through bilateral and multilateral cooperation with neighbors like the Philippines and Indonesia, as well as international bodies. Joint patrols, naval exercises, and intelligence-sharing have been key in combating piracy and smuggling, particularly around strategic chokepoints near the Malacca Strait.
IMPLICATIONS TO MALAYSIA’S MARITIME SECURITY
Although progress has been made in preventing cross-border abductions, Sabah’s maritime border remains at risk from sporadic militant activity originating in the Southern Philippines, highlighting the need for continued joint patrols and intelligence-sharing. Meanwhile, piracy in nearby chokepoints like the Malacca Strait has become more opportunistic, though organized criminal groups remain a concern. Threats to offshore energy infrastructure and rising local discontent over environmental and land-use issues have further intensified regional security challenges. Additionally, increased Chinese naval presence near Sarawak introduces a new layer of geopolitical tension.