- Chinese coastguard ships have regularly entered Malaysian waters, while militants have come into the country through the east coast
- Ex-minister says Malaysia’s coastguard is poorly funded, while one analyst says it also lacks a fleet to have a ‘persistent presence’ in its own waters
Amy Chew Published: 12:00pm, 24 Jan, 2022
Malaysian coast guard personnel. Photo: Facebook
Malaysia’s security threats are now coming from the sea, including incursions into its waters by Chinese coastguard ships and by armed gunmen, but the country remains stuck on “jungle warfare” with security resources concentrated on Peninsular Malaysia, according to analysts and a former deputy defence minister.
In recent years, Chinese coastguard ships have regularly entered Malaysia’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea, off the eastern states of Sarawak and Sabah.
In February 2013, Sabah was rocked by the – ultimately unsuccessful – invasion of over 200 armed followers of the Philippines’ self-proclaimed Sultan of Sulu, Jamalul Kiram III. The men travelled by motor boats from Sulu island and landed in the Sabah town of Lahad Datu.
For more, see:
