KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — Royal Malaysian Navy chief Admiral Datuk Zulhelmy Ithnain has said that the situation in the South China Sea remains safe and under control, despite several conflicts occurring around the waters.
He emphasised that there have been no tense or aggressive encounters between the Navy and the security forces of other nations, including China's Coast Guard (CSG) vessels detected in the South China 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 said during a press conference at Wisma Pertahanan today.
Zulhelmy, who was appointed as the 19th Navy chief on September 23, expressed its commitment to defusing tensions, rather than escalating them.
He added 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.
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 Melaka Strait, the South China Sea, the Sulawesi Sea, and the Sulu Sea, to identify suspicious vessels and warships from other nations.
— Bernama
