We are not free even though it is our territory,” laments the Miri Fishing Club secretary Vincent Lo, regarding the presence of China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels in the South China Sea.
This is especially the case around Luconia Shoals (known locally as Beting Patinggi Ali), which Malaysia deems to be part of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the coast of Sarawak but is regularly patrolled by the CCG.
Lo said this situation makes it difficult for them to go fishing as they fear being disturbed by the CCG.
“It's like we are not free to go there even though it is our area.
“For me, a lot of activities need to be held there to show that it is our sovereign territory,” he told Malaysiakini.
While he acknowledged there were no recent cases of disturbance to anglers or fisherfolk, he claimed there were past incidents of fisherfolk being chased away by Chinese vessels.
“Some fisherfolk who are also anglers encountered the CCG within the 70-nautical-mile (130km) maritime zone, and they did not dare to approach.
“Previously, there were fishing boats chased away by the CCG when they were near the patrolled area, even though it is within our waters,” he said.
In January, the Defence Ministry clarified that Beting Patinggi Ali belongs to Malaysia and the country has never recognised any claims from other parties since it is within Malaysia's EEZ.
The ministry said, geographically, Beting Patinggi Ali is located 84 nautical miles (155km) from the coast of Miri (specifically in Tanjung Baram), Sarawak.
“The sovereignty of the country will continue to be preserved and will always be a priority for the Defence Ministry and the Armed Forces,” it said.
Commenting further, Lo said they need to obtain permits from the authorities if they want to go to the sea near the CCG patrolled areas.
He added that the Fisheries Department frequently holds dialogue sessions with fishermen and anglers.
Security threat
Last April, Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin emphasised the importance of the continuous presence of security forces to guard Malaysia's waters to prevent another “Pulau Batu Puteh incident”.
Khaled was responding to claims of sightings of China Coast Guard vessels in Sarawak waters by a group of local fisherfolk a week earlier.
China claims a large portion of the South China Sea - dubbed the Nine-dash Line - including the waters of Malaysia and several other Southeast Asian countries.
National Defence University of Malaysia’s International Relations, Security and Law Department professor Mohd Mizan Mohammad Aslam said Malaysia needs to resolve this issue tactfully.
The presence of the CCG in Malaysian waters not only poses a threat to national security but also affects national income.
“I see from the aspect of national sovereignty, that is certain because we have our exclusive zone. This will automatically be taken by other parties if we do not act firmly, in this case, against China.
“The biggest issue is that it restricts our oil and gas exploration because we have several oil rigs in the South China Sea, many of them near Beting Patinggi Ali and the Spratly Islands.
“If this conflict occurs, it will affect the country's income, and affect the budget because our budget heavily depends on oil revenue. Fishermen will also be affected,” he told Malaysiakini.
Commenting further, he said Malaysia needs to maintain good relations with China to resolve this issue and keep it from dragging on.
On May 31, Malaysia and China celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. - Mkini
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