Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia ‘strategically aligned’ in keeping Strait of Malacca open: Vivian Balakrishnan

SINGAPORE: Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia have a shared strategic interest to keep the Strait of Malacca open, Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said on Wednesday (Apr 22) as Middle East tensions put global maritime routes under strain. Speaking in an interview at CNBC’s Converge Live event, Dr Balakrishnan said that as the littoral states of the Strait of Malacca, all three countries have a “cooperative mechanism” not to collect tolls and to keep it that way. “We do not have tolls. All of us are trade-dependent economies. All of us know it is in our interest to keep it…