March 4, 20251 yr From Channel News Asia KUALA LUMPUR: After a dormant decade, calls for a new naval base in a sleepy town in Sarawak have gathered steam in recent weeks, with Malaysia potentially eyeing a more assertive stance against Chinese pressure in resource-rich areas near the Borneo state. But in building Malaysia’s latest naval base in Bintulu, closer to the disputed waters in the South China Sea, analysts believe Putrajaya will still steer clear of stirring up the hornet’s nest. Malaysia is unlikely to adopt more aggressive responses to Chinese vessel incursions, they told CNA, given its overarching aim to maintain its low-key approach to the maritime territorial claims and preserve its lucrative economic ties with Beijing. China, currently embroiled in its own scuffles with the Philippines in the same strategic waterways farther north, will also be keen to keep its ties with Malaysia on an even keel, hoping to alienate Manila from other Southeast Asian claimant states, the analysts said. Dr Collin Koh, a senior fellow at Singapore’s S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said the Sarawak naval base would not alter China-Malaysia ties as long as the Malaysian government continues to keep a “non-megaphone” approach to the dispute. “The naval base and potentially increased Malaysian maritime presence in the area may come across as a nuisance to Beijing, but that’s just it,” he told CNA. “End of the day, it’s the political demeanour in Kuala Lumpur, not what’s happening on the ground with Malaysia’s naval buildup in Borneo, that seems to be the key determinant in overall relationship with Beijing.” According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, a country retains exclusive rights to the exploration and exploitation of natural resources in its EEZ, defined as waters extending up to 200 nautical miles (370km) immediately offshore. Continues at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/malaysia-south-china-sea-naval-base-sarawak-eez-luconia-4658451?cid=taboola_traffic-regional_paid_12042024_cnamkt_thepattayanews-thepattayanews&tblci=GiCLRklQkfe4-FMw0mn38WG-OYetLqAIWXwOJNgM3H98GiDsklIo9dCZ4NLX6r-uATCzp1U#tblciGiCLRklQkfe4-FMw0mn38WG-OYetLqAIWXwOJNgM3H98GiDsklIo9dCZ4NLX6r-uATCzp1U
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