The armed forces of Malaysia and Indonesia on Thursday agreed to step up cooperation to boost security along shared borders after successful patrols in the Malacca Strait.

Malaysia's armed forces chief Abdul Aziz Zainal said since both countries had begun coordinated patrols, piracy incidents were sharply down in one of the world's most important and busiest waterways.

Abdul Aziz and Indonesia's armed forces chief Marshal Djoko Suyanto began talks Thursday in Kuala Lumpur to map strategies to fight cross-border crime and terrorism.

"In terms of piracy incidences along the Malacca Straits, reports have declined by 99 percent since we started coordinated patrols at the straits," Abdul Aziz told reporters.

"In the past seven months we have only received one report of piracy along the Straits of Malacca and even then, it was a minor incident," he said.

The International Maritime Bureau in its first quarter report last month said that attacks along the Malacca Strait had declined due to aggressive patrols by Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

The maritime security watchdog said that pirates were lying low following security measures taken by the three littoral states.

Illegal logging, human smuggling, terrorism

Suyanto said the waterway had been much safer due to coordinated air and sea patrols by the littoral states.

"Everywhere where we share a common border, whether it's in Borneo or in the Malacca Straits, there would be security issues but as long as we are committed to solving these issues... it would not affect bilateral ties," Suyanto said.

The meeting between the defence chiefs covered illegal logging, human smuggling and terrorism.

Illegal logging and mining are serious problems in Indonesia's East Kalimantan province on Borneo island, which is shared with Malaysia.

Abdul Aziz said the annual meeting was a platform to foster bilateral ties and enhance security operations and training activities between Indonesia and Malaysia at their common border.