KUCHING: The federal government must expedite the establishment of a Royal Malaysian Navy base in Sarawak to ensure the sovereignty of the nation's waters, especially in the face of conflicts and territorial claims in the South China Sea.
This urgency, according to a senior Sarawak minister, stems from the unpredictability of events that may unfold in the next 10 to 20 years, particularly concerning the security of national waters.
Even now, there are signs of escalating tensions in waters bordering neighbouring countries.
Sarawak Tourism, Creative Industries and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said disputes will arise, especially as China seeks to expand its maritime boundaries, which include the "nine-dash line" in the South China Sea.
The "nine-dash line" is essentially a boundary line drawn by China, extending 2,000km from the mainland to within a few hundred kilometres of the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam, claiming historical maritime rights.
The line reportedly first appeared on a Chinese map in 1947, following World War 2.
"This is where we see overlapping claims between several Southeast Asian countries because China claims boundaries within the nine-dash line. If this happens, it means China's maritime boundary will extend to just a few nautical miles off the coast of Sarawak.
"Recently, China has become more powerful and possesses a strong naval fleet, making them increasingly vocal and aggressive in expanding their maritime boundaries by showcasing their maritime assets in those waters," Karim told Berita Harian.
Therefore, he said, the proposed RMN base in Bintulu should be expedited because Malaysia cannot afford to wait for a major incident, including an invasion, before taking action.
"Strengthening defence in Sarawak waters with the RMN base means further empowering efforts to defend Malaysia's sovereignty, as the Bintulu area, including Samalaju and Miri, is crucial to the nation's economy.
"Malaysia's wealth in oil and gas lies there. What will happen if the sovereignty of that area is eroded by the expansion of maritime boundaries by a superpower?"
Karim said Malaysia cannot be complacent while China is becoming bolder due to its strong naval force.
He added that the maritime community in areas like Miri, for example, frequently encounter Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels in Malaysia's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea, particularly around Beting Patinggi Ali.
On June 15 last year, the then defence minister, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, announced that the government had approved the development of a new RMN base, the Fourth Maritime Region Command in Bintulu.
He had said the proposal to establish a new RMN base in Sarawak resulted from a strategic assessment focused on two main issues: protecting the nation's resource interests and defending national sovereignty from foreign invasion.
Karim said he believed that Malaysia must act now to ensure the nation's sovereignty remains intact.
"In addition to oil and gas, Sarawak is also expanding its new economy through carbon trading and storing the commodity underground on the continental shelf. As for international maritime boundaries, the government must refine them with the claimant countries.
"This is because maintaining sovereignty and security in the area is indeed under federal jurisdiction, ensuring security in international waters.
"When there is an invasion in Sarawak or nearby, it will impact Malaysia's economy, which also benefits from the wealth of the seabed in Sarawak's waters," he said.