Japan's Nippon Foundation has pledged 2.5 million USD to the Aids to Navigation Fund for this year to which will enhance the safety and security of navigation, and the protection of the marine environment in the busy Malacca and Singapore straits.

Its chairman, Yohei Sasakawa, was cited by the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM ) news network as saying on July 7 that these were the busiest straits in the world, trafficked by 94,000 vessels annually, a far greater number than that of the Suez or Panama Canals.

"With the recent growth in traffic volume, we need better disaster risk management for the straits. Therefore, it is becoming more important to bring preventive measures into play rather than waiting to solve problems after accidents," he said at a ceremony to sign a letter of undertaking between the foundation and the fund.

The contribution accounted for one-third of the total fund for this year. Meanwhile, Malaysian Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat said the Malacca Straits, which carries 40 percent of global seaborne trade and 50 percent of the world's total oil trade, is a vital commercial link between East and West.

Malaysia, which was the first host of the Fund from 2008 to 2010, has so far received contributions from other stakeholders such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Malacca Strait Council of Japan and the Middle East Navigation Aids Service./.