Malaysia has two ongoing oil and gas projects in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) near Beting Patinggi Ali in the South China Sea, Wisma Putra said, dismissing claims of objections from China.
During Question Time in Parliament on Wednesday (Feb 26), Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin also reaffirmed that Malaysia has never legitimised any of China’s claims in the South China Sea and emphasised the country's commitment to finalising the Code of Conduct (COC) as a crucial maritime guideline.
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During Question Time in Parliament on Wednesday (Feb 26), Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin also reaffirmed that Malaysia has never legitimised any of China’s claims in the South China Sea and emphasised the country's commitment to finalising the Code of Conduct (COC) as a crucial maritime guideline.
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NewsTranscript
00:00What is the government's strategy to make use of the ASEAN management platform in the context of the settlement of disputes in the South China Sea, including the consensus between Asian countries to implement the Tatalaku Code with China in accordance with the UNCLOS Convention?
00:25How long will it take?
00:28Second, we have received information about the leak in Cuman,
00:35that is, the Malaysian ambassador has rejected China because it has made a claim to direct Malaysia to stop oil activities in the area.
00:53His answer was to continue economic activities.
00:56There is no economic activity that can be done there.
00:59And our efforts to go there have been rejected.
01:03So I want to ask, among the members of this Cabinet, who has ever been to Betimtingi Ali,
01:10a source of gas and oil in the world?
01:16Have we ever been there?
01:18And we only gave an answer in this Parliament by reading the writing that was made, but what actually did not happen there.
01:26We are now facing a problem because the Chinese control ships there are larger than the small APMM ships and our warships.
01:35So I want to ask, is it true?
01:37If it is true, should we take action within three months from now?
01:41If not, we will come to the Parliament and ask whether we want to surrender this area to Aising.
01:49Honourable Minister, to answer.
01:51Thank you, Dato' Speaker.
01:53I want to tell you that I am the only Cabinet Minister who has ever been to Betimtingi Ali.
01:59That's what I meant when I became a minister before this.
02:05Honourable Minister, you said earlier that there was no economic activity.
02:09I think you are wrong.
02:11I want to tell you that in the area of Betimtingi Ali and its surroundings,
02:15there are actually three gas and oil explorations underway.
02:20Two are underway in Kasawari.
02:23Timi is under the control of Petronas.
02:27And another one that is being built is at Rosemary Marjoram.
02:31This is under the control of Shell Malaysia.
02:33So in this area, there is indeed economic activity.
02:38That's why the authorities are always on the move to ensure that the work can be carried out well.
02:46And secondly, Honourable Minister,
02:48as ASEAN leaders this year, the issue of South China Sea has become our main focus.
02:55But the issue of Betimtingi Ali that you raised is actually not one of the issues that we want to raise.
03:02Why? Because Betimtingi Ali is in our area.
03:07In our ZEE area.
03:10At least 84 nautical miles.
03:15Our ZEE area is up to 200 nautical miles.
03:20Betimtingi Ali is 84 nautical miles.
03:23So it is in our area.
03:25So it is in our area that we need to raise the issue of Betimtingi Ali.
03:32But as a whole, after 200 nautical miles, that's what we want to raise.
03:39The so-called considerable shift.
03:42That's what we want to raise.
03:44So the mechanism that we are using today is the ASEAN mechanism.
03:48We are using the ASEAN mechanism this year,
03:51and we actually have a number of implementing countries.
03:55And COCE, in partnership with China.
03:58ASEAN-China.
04:00We are an implementing country, and also COCE,
04:02in terms of working power,
04:04in terms of ending this COC,
04:07the one that is leading.
04:09So there are several important series of negotiations that are underway,
04:12and have been underway before this,
04:14that we are discussing.
04:16We have been negotiating in Bali before this.
04:18We have been negotiating in Bangkok.
04:20We have been negotiating in Xi'an, China.
04:22We have been negotiating in Vientiane, Laos.
04:25So all this work,
04:27we are heading towards ending COC.
04:30And this COC is important for us to end,
04:33so that it becomes a line of guidance for all countries.
04:36Not only ASEAN countries, but also countries outside of ASEAN.
04:39We have to agree on the COC that will be ended.
04:42And God willing,
04:43Malaysia, in negotiating this COC,
04:46we will not hesitate.
04:48And we will continue to maintain the sovereignty of the country, God willing.
04:52Thank you, Ladies and Gentlemen.