Kuala Lampur, May 28 -- When tensions rise in the Strait of Hormuz, global attention inevitably shifts to other maritime chokepoints. The Strait of Malacca, as one of the world's busiest sea lanes, is often drawn into such comparisons. Yet while understandable, these comparisons risk overlooking a key reality: Malacca is structurally different and more stable than many assume.

The strait is indispensable to global trade, carrying a significant share of the world's energy and goods, with tens of thousands of vessels transiting annually. Its resilience, however, lies not in volume but in governance. Unlike Hormuz, often shaped by geopolitical confrontation, Malacca operates within a rules-based system anchored in the United Nations Convent...