MMEA: Beting Patinggi Ali, Miri waters safe, secure despite CCG presence
Mohd Khairi stresses that while the China Coast Guard has been present in the area, there have been no aggressive actions reported against local fishermen. – Bernama photo
KUCHING (May 16): The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has assured Sarawak's maritime community that the waters off Miri, including around Beting Patinggi Ali (Luconia Shoals), remain safe and secure.
MMEA Sarawak director Rear Admiral (M) Mohd Khairi Abd Aziz stressed that while the China Coast Guard (CCG) has been present in the area, there have been no aggressive actions reported against local fishermen.
'The situation is not similar to incidents reported in neighbouring countries such as the Philippines and Vietnam.
'Malaysia remains committed to a policy of defensive diplomacy and international cooperation to safeguard our maritime sovereignty and ensure security in our waters,' he added in a statement yesterday.
He was responding to a special report in The Borneo Post yesterday titled 'CCG encounters at sea trigger fear, anxiety among Miri fishermen'.
Addressing a point mentioned in the report on the removal of a Malaysian flag planted by Australian marine archaeologist Hans Berekoven in 2015 at Beting Patinggi Ali, Mohd Khairi clarified that there is no official record or verification of such incident from any Malaysian authority.
'Claims that MMEA removed the flag as a sign of compromising Malaysia's sovereignty are unfounded, unsupported by official facts, and risk misleading the public,' he said.
He reaffirmed Malaysia's consistent and clear position that Beting Patinggi Ali lies well within the country's Exclusive Economic Zone, as defined under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Mohd Khairi also urged the local fishing community not to be swayed by unverified information that could sensationalise maritime security issues in the South China Sea.
He reiterated that MMEA is always prepared to take appropriate action to ensure the safety and wellbeing of Malaysian fishermen.
'MMEA is fully committed to safeguarding our national waters to ensure the continued prosperity and safety of our people.' Beting Patinggi CCG china coast guard lead Luconia Shoals MMEA
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