Deputy Defence Minister: Situation in South China Sea safe, under control

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 21): The national security situation in the South China Sea is safe and under control, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari said that based on threat assessments carried out by relevant agencies, the country’s waters remain free and open to the maritime community.

He clarified that reports concerning the presence of Chinese maritime assets on the country’s maritime border primarily involved its Coast Guard, not its naval warships.

“While the presence of Chinese vessels in our waters has sparked controversy, they have yet to take any aggressive actions against us, unlike what has been reported with other nations.

“Nonetheless, the Defence Ministry remains fully committed to protecting the country’s sovereignty, and ensuring that our defence assets are maintained at an optimal level to face any potential threats, particularly in the South China Sea,” he said during a question and answer session.

He said this in his reply to a question from Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias (BN-Jelebu), who sought clarification on the extent to which the safety of Malaysia’s waters in the South China Sea is assured, given the presence of military ships and Chinese coast guard forces in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) within Sarawak’s maritime territory.

In addressing Jalaluddin’s supplementary question about whether Malaysia would raise this issue at next year’s Asean meeting, Adly affirmed that the country would leverage its role as chair of ASEAN in 2025 to address emerging concerns, including those related to the South China Sea.

He added that national security operations would be intensified in border areas of the country’s waters, along with efforts to strengthen defence diplomacy with China.

Meanwhile, in response to a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz (PN-Tanah Merah), regarding public unease over Chinese military ships docking in Malaysia, Adly clarified that every application for a foreign military vessel is meticulously scrutinised.

“We consistently collaborate with Wisma Putra (the Foreign Ministry) to ensure that every foreign military ship anchored in Malaysia serves a purpose aligned with the common good.

“That is why the issue of foreign military ships anchoring in Penang, as well as in other state such as in Sabah, in Port Klang, there were vessels from the United States, Russia, and Germany… should not be turned into polemic, as long as they operate within the control and laws of our country,” he said.

In response to reports of a Chinese coast guard ship anchored at Beting Patinggi Ali, in the EEZ waters of Miri, Sarawak, Adly acknowledged that this poses a challenge for the Defence Ministry, emphasising the importance of not being perceived as an aggressor.

“Therefore, we, along with the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), will engage in communication with them. We also consistently send diplomatic protest notes to Wisma Putra.

“Malaysia is committed to ensuring that the South China Sea remains safe. The security and sovereignty of our country are our top priorities. We adopt the principle of defence diplomacy to facilitate peaceful economic activities, oil exploration, fishing, and trade,” he explained. – Bernama