Replication Data for: What Drives Maritime Piracy in Southeast Asia? A Regional and Country-Specific Analysis

Maritime piracy poses a significant threat to international trade and regional security. This study evaluates the impact of socioeconomic and political factors on maritime piracy in the waters of Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia from 2006 to 2021. Using negative binomial regression, this study examines the relationship between piracy incidents and various socioeconomic and political variables. The findings highlight both regional and country-specific dynamics that shape maritime piracy. At the regional level, state fragility, fisheries production, and mobile subscriptions emerge as significant predictors of piracy incidents, whereas trade value and unemployment rates show no significant relationship. Notably, the positive correlation between fisheries production and piracy incidents challenges existing literature, indicating that increased fisheries production at the regional level does not deter piracy. At the country level, state fragility and mobile subscriptions are key drivers of piracy in Indonesia, while in Malaysia, fisheries production and mobile cellular subscriptions exhibit significant yet contrasting effects. In Singapore, no predictors prove significant. This study highlights the need for country-specific policies addressing fisheries management and maritime security, and it calls for further qualitative research to explore underlying causal mechanisms.