A Week After “Friendly” Port Call in Penang, RMN Warship Deployed to Shadow Chinese Coast Guard Vessel

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – Just a week after welcoming two Chinese Navy vessels to Penang, a Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) patrol vessel has reportedly been deployed to shadow a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel detected within Malaysia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) conducting “intrusive patrol.”

According to South China Sea observer Ray Powell on platform X (@GordianKnotRay), the RMN’s Kedah-class offshore patrol vessel, KD Selangor, has been tasked to shadow the Chinese Coast Guard vessel CCG 5102.

Powell, who also serves as Director at SeaLight.Live and co-host of the @IndoPacPodcast, stated:

“KD Selangor has arrived to shadow China’s Coast Guard vessel 5102 – the latest in a series of Chinese vessels conducting intrusive patrols within Malaysia’s Exclusive Economic Zone, just 70 nautical miles from the Sarawak coast.*”

The reported 70-nautical-mile distance is well within Malaysia’s EEZ.

Last month, Powell also highlighted the presence of CCG 5102 along with other Chinese coast guard vessels, CCG 5403 and CCG 5402, in the Malaysian EEZ.

Vessel tracking data suggests that CCG 5102 and CCG 5403 were located near the Kasawari gas development field, an active project by Malaysia’s national oil and gas company, Petronas, within Block 316, clearly inside Malaysian waters.

The suspected objective of these Chinese coast guard vessels is to carry out intrusive patrols in proximity to Malaysia’s oil and gas installations.

Petronas Carigali, a subsidiary of Petronas, is responsible for developing and operating the Kasawari gas field, a project valued in the billions of ringgit.

Meanwhile, two vessels from the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Task Group 83 – Qi Jiguang and Jinggang Shan – made a port call in Penang last week.

The Speaker of the Penang State Legislative Assembly, Law Choo Kiang, received courtesy visits from the commanders of both ships.

Chinese sailors and naval cadets also visited Chung Ling High School during their stay.

During a recent visit to Vladivostok, Russia, Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment to continue its oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea despite objections from Beijing.

“China is our partner, but we must operate within our waters to secure economic benefits, including offshore drilling within our territorial zone,” Anwar told Malaysian journalists during a press briefing at the conclusion of his working visit to Russia.

He added, “Although Beijing has lodged protests, believing the area belongs to them, we must proceed with these activities for the survival of our economy.”

China had previously issued a diplomatic note demanding that Malaysia cease all oil and gas activities in the resource-rich waters off the coast of Sarawak, despite the fact that these waters lie within Malaysia’s EEZ.– DSA