Painful punishments dished out to keep piracy at bay in Asia

Courts in Malaysia have taken a tough stance on piracy with stiff sentences meted out. But information is lacking on how other South East Asian courts are helping to stamp out the problem.

Masafumi Kuroki, executive director of the Singapore-based Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP), believes that severe deterrents are necessity for criminal acts against ships.