COMMENT It was reported recently that Chinese coast guard vessels have yet again intruded into Malaysian waters near Gugusam Beting Patinggi Ali (also known as Luconia Shoals), 84 nautical miles off the coast of Sarawak. Local deep-sea fishermen were reportedly avoiding the area after being chased off by Chinese vessels.

Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem was so concerned about these intrusions that he felt compelled to raise the matter with Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

This is not the first time that Chinese naval vessels have intruded into our territorial waters. In August last year, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim, with responsibility for the coast guards, told the press that Chinese coast guard vessels have been intruding into our waters on an almost weekly basis over the previous two years. He added that Wisma Putra had, in response, fired off a series of protest notes to China.