KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA has sought Indonesia's help to crack down on pirates in military-style uniforms who have been menacing fishing boats in the southern Malacca Strait, a senior police official said on Tuesday.

The action came after a fisherman was wounded earlier this month when sea raiders dressed in camouflage gear fired at his vessel, said Isa Munir, commander of Malaysia's maritime police department.

'We are investigating it. We are trying to coordinate the operation (to provide security for fishing boats) with Indonesian authorities. We are intensifying our patrols,' he said.

Mr Isa said the attack took place in the waters off southern Johor state facing neighbouring Indonesia, part of the waterway which is a crucial lifeline to global trade and which just a few years ago was a piracy hotspot.

In the last few years, coordinated patrols from the countries bordering the strait - Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore - have virtually eradicated attacks.

But Mr Isa said fishermen had been complaining that pirates in military uniform were preying on them.

The Star newspaper said Tuesday that the pirates were robbing fishermen of their equipment and demanding protection money of 10,000-45,000 ringgit (S$4,186-S$18,624) , threatening their livelihoods.

Mr Isa said the marine police would investigate the claims and urged fishermen to report attacks immediately so that a patrol boat could be deployed to nab the pirates. -- AFP