MIRI, 2 June: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) has expressed concern after Chinese military planes flew over the Malaysian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) airspace on Monday.
On that day, 16 China air force planes encroached into EEZ airspace , just 60 nautical miles off the coast of Sarawak.
“Majority of Sarawakians are shocked because this had never happened before,” said SUPP Secretary-General Datuk Sebastian Ting Chiew Yew in a statement today.
Ting regards the ‘intrusion’ as a very serious threat to national security that must be addressed carefully and diplomatically between the two countries.
He, however, reminded the people of Sarawak to remain calm.
“We must remain calm and not to be influenced by false news that may lead to destroying the good relations between the two countries,” he opined.
Malaysia, he added, has always been on good terms with China ever since former Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein paid an official visit to China in 1974.
“At that time, we were the first ASEAN country to establish full diplomatic relations with China,” Ting pointed out.
“We understand that our Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussien is seeking an explanation from the China Ambassador for the airspace encroachment on Monday. It is our hope that the two countries can deal with the encroachment issue amicable and swiftly,” he explained.
Majority of Sarawakians would like to see that China promises no more repeat of military encroachment into Malaysia Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the future, he said. — DayakDaily
