KUALA LUMPUR: The situation in the South China Sea remains safe and under control, despite several conflicts occurring around the waters, says Royal Malaysian Navy chief Admiral Datuk Zulhelmy Ithnain.
He emphasised that there have been no tense or aggressive encounters between the navy and the security forces of other nations, including Chinese Coast Guard vessels detected in the Sea.
"It is true that CSG vessels are present, but they do not engage aggressively with us. When our ships meet them, their responses have been positive; they do not act aggressively,” he told a press conference, at Wisma Pertahanan on Friday (Oct 18).
Zulhelmy, who was appointed the 19th Navy chief on Sept 23, expressed the navy’s commitment to defusing tensions, rather than escalating them.
He noted that the CSG vessels detected in or passing through the South China Sea weigh approximately 5,000 tonnes, and can remain at sea for 45 to 50 consecutive days.
He added that Malaysia, along with other countries, remains vigilant regarding the presence of foreign coast guard ships in the area.
Earlier, the Defence Ministry reported that the navy continuously monitors six Malaysian maritime areas, including the Strait of Melaka, the South China Sea, the Sulawesi Sea, and the Sulu Sea, to identify suspicious vessels and warships from other nations. - Bernama
