Enough assets to monitor disputed waters off Sarawak coast, says Tok Mat

KUALA LUMPUR: The Defence Ministry has sufficient assets to monitor the disputed waters around Beting Patinggi Ali (South Luconia Shoals) in Sarawak, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

The Defence Minister said the efforts were aimed at monitoring the presence of ships belonging to China's Coast Guard in the natural resources-rich area.

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"I am not using the term intrusion yet as the area is disputed.

"We have more than enough assets (to be deployed there)," he told a press conference after visiting the sales gallery for the "1 Personnel, 1 Home" project on Wednesday (Jan 25).

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He was asked to comment on reports that the Royal Malaysian Navy patrol ship KD Kelantan had been deployed to Beting Patinggi Ali waters to monitor the presence of China's Coast Guard.

Twitter user Ray Powell (@GordianKnotRay) claimed that the patrol vessel arrived in waters around Beting Patinggi Ali on Tuesday (Jan 24) to monitor China's Coast Guard ship CCG 5303.