KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has two ongoing oil and gas projects in its South China Sea exclusive economic zone near Beting Patinggi Ali, says Wisma Putra, denying claims there were objections from China.
Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin said Petronas’s Kasawari and Shell’s Timi gas development projects are located in the area near Sarawak.
Mohamad told parliament that claims alleging there were no economic activities in the EEZ due to objections from China were untrue.
Timi is located approximately 202km northwest of Miri, Sarawak, while Kasawari is located approximately 200km away from the coast of Bintulu, Sarawak.
“There are economic activities here and that is why our enforcement agencies are always there to ensure works can be carried out,” said Mohamad during Question Time in Parliament on Wednesday (Feb 26).
Mohamad was responding to Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim who asked about the latest developments in diplomatic negotiations with China on Beting Patinggi Ali in Sarawak.
Mohamad said Beting Patinggi Ali in the South China Sea belongs to Malaysia and it is not subject to overlapping claims, because the shoals are located about 80 nautical miles from Sarawak.
Mohamad noted that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS) provides a littoral state like Malaysia to claim an EEZ up to 200 nautical miles from shore.
“As chair of Asean, the South China Sea issue is definitely our focus. Just that, Beting Patinggi Ali is not among our discussions because it is located in our EEZ.
“So, we do not have to negotiate for Beting Patinggi Ali,” said Mohamad.
Mohamad said Malaysia has never legitimised any claims by China at the South China Sea.
“The government is always closely monitoring any developments in the area by cooperating with various ministries and agencies to ensure that the issue can be addressed promptly and efficiently, without causing any tensions,” added Mohamad.
Mohamad also said Malaysia aims to finalise the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea soon as it is an important maritime guideline.
“So this can be a guideline for all countries and not just Asean countries.
“God-willing, in negotiating for the COC, we will not let go of an inch of land and we will always fight for Malaysia’s rights,” added Mohamad.
The South China Sea has been a contentious issue in the region due to China’s overlapping claims in the region against those by Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam and the Philippines.
China has released a map with 10 dashed lines broadly demarcating what it calls its territory in the South China Sea, and the map has been rejected by other claimants.
