The Ministry of Defense (MINDEF) explained that Beting Patinggi Ali belongs to Malaysia and has never recognised any claim from any other party since it is within Malaysia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
MINDEF in a statement today informed that, from a geographical point of view, Beting Patinggi Ali is located 84 nautical miles (155 km) from the coast of Miri (specifically in Tanjung Baram), Sarawak, and within the waters of Malaysia’s EEZ.
“The sovereignty of the country will continue to be preserved and will always be a priority of MINDEF and the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM),” according to the statement to explain a media report on Jan 25 last year about the demands of the Beting Patinggi Ali area, Sarawak.
Last Wednesday, the Minister of Defense, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan insisted that the ATM has sufficient assets to monitor the disputed area around Beting Patinggi Ali.
He was reported to have said that the measure was taken to monitor the presence of Chinese coast guard ships and that it was important for the country to place military assets in the overlapping area to prevent it from being considered owned by another country.
Previously, a news portal reported that the Royal Malaysian Navy’s Kedah-class patrol vessel KD Kelantan was in the waters around Beting Patinggi Ali to monitor the presence of Chinese coast guard vessels in Malaysian waters rich in oil and gas resources.
