Sabah, S’wak will be at forefront of geopolitical issue — Assemblyman
KOTA KINABALU: The government needs to address the issue of encroachment on Malaysian waters in the South China Sea by China more firmly and not take the matter lightly as it clearly violates the country’s sovereignty, said Bongawan assemblyman Dr Daud Haji Yusof.
He said it is worrying if the issue is not addressed immediately, as Sabah and Sarawak would be at the forefront of the geopolitical issue.
Daud said it had been reported since 2021 that China’s ‘Invisible’ fighter aircraft, J-20, had been hovering in the airspace of the East China Sea and South China Sea to conduct routine patrols and exercises.
“However, the Chinese government’s excuse repeatedly claiming that they are just undergoing military training and insisted that they did not cross any international borders is completely unreasonable.
“It doesn’t make sense for such excuses, when 23 maritime incursions happened within 12 months.
“In fact, records from the AuditorGeneral’s Report Series 3 (2018) have warned of intrusions of 89 times from 2016 to 2019,” he said in a statement.
Daud also questioned whether the resolution was moved by Wisma Putra and the Ministry of Defense (Mindef) to defend the country’s sovereignty, especially the safety of the people in Sabah and Sarawak.
He said the series of air and maritime invasions in Borneo as well as in the East Coast of Peninsula, that took place after the Covid-19 pandemic, illustrated how Wisma Putra and Mindef did not have any crisis mitigation and recovery plans.
He said the incident between the Chinese air force and our army served as a reminder to us of our country’s preparedness for such a situation.
“What allows them (the Chinese government) to act as they please?
“Malaysia is not alone in this dispute, the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei have all formally disputed in the South China Sea conflict.
“It is clear the stance of ASEAN countries on the actions of China’s military integrity,” he said.
Daud, who is Warisan assemblyman, said Indonesia was also linked to the dispute because China’s maritime border, which was in the ‘nine-dash line’ area, stretched to the northern part of the Natuna Islands.
The issue, he said, was not just bilateral, but it was also a multilateral one involving a complex political system and having different incentives.
“A lot has to be sacrificed ... a lot also needs to be achieved, but unfortunately, the people of Sabah and Sarawak will be at the forefront of the South China Sea conflict as well as a threat to Malaysians.
“The government should take a firmer stance to urge all parties involved to stop their aggression and commit to peace talks. It is not enough to just echo the sentiments of other countries.
“Malaysia must also stand firm because of the current geopolitical issues that surround our Malaysian waters with aggression after aggression by large countries in the east, or we may be in the same position as Ukraine,” he said.
Daud said Malaysia should act collectively with Asean countries to reach a resolution and mutual understanding with China that their actions, military training or unintentional encroachment do concern the feelings of Malaysians as a sovereign nation.
He said it was not appropriate for China to use Malaysia’s territory as a proxy for the battle between major powers and the major powers should resolve their disputes without making the South China Sea a place to show military strength.
“Leave the waters of Sabah and Sarawak, the people of Sabah and Sarawak, the economy of Sabah and Sarawak, the resources of Sabah and Sarawak, for the future of the people of Sabah and Sarawak.
“My priority is the safety of the people of Sabah and Sarawak in particular, while at the same time for the wellbeing of all Malaysians. Community concerns will continue to arise and the risk of economic downturn will occur if this is not addressed immediately.
“While the Sabah and Sarawak governments are actively combating small-scale aggression and terrorism, the international political complexity is not an appropriate thing to accept. The country’s airspace and maritime aggression crisis must be ended immediately,” he said.