This is nothing new as there had been a similar undertaking and the most recent of which was the Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement (TCA) between Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, a regional commitment focused on measures to address maritime security threats and challenges.
The recent years’ changing regional security landscape exposed our country’s vulnerabilities. Any strategic partnership aimed at further enhancing the countries’ increasingly close security relationship is a welcome move. It need not be emphasized that this proposed trilateral alliance is rooted in mutually beneficial partnerships. We must ensure though that the responsibility of protecting and promoting our national interest rests with our government. This proposal needs to be placed in its proper context in order to temper expectations.