JAKARTA, June 14 (Xinhuanet) -- The navies of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore have agreed to reject the deployment of foreign forces, including the United States, on the Malacca Strait, a high ranking Indonesian navy officer said Tuesday.

    "We agreed to reject the presence of foreign fleet and military on the strait between Sumatra island and our neighbors (Malaysia and Singapore)," Navy chief's operation assistant Vice Admiral Djoko Agus Hanoeng was quoted by the Antara news agency as saying.

    He made the remarks shortly after opening the Western Pacific Naval Symposium Workshop 2005 in Bali.

    He acknowledged the 1,000-km Malacca Strait is vulnerable from sea piracy but added that western countries, including the United States, often exaggerated reports of sea crimes in Malacca.

    On the same occasion, Navy Flight Division head Sumartono said the three countries have agreed on a joined patrol in Malacca, know as the Malsindo Coordinated Patrol (MCP).

    He said the MCP every day deploys 17 warships, nine from Indonesia, four from Malaysia and four from Singapore.

    "We have been conducting (the patrol) and see no problems," he said. Enditem