KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 ― The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) insisted that some 100 fishing boats from China trespassed into the country’s waters off the coast of Sarawak, contrary to the navy’s report Monday.

MMEA director-general Datuk Ahmad Puzi Ab Kahar said maritime officials first spotted the large number of foreign vessels entering Malaysian waters in the South China Sea on March 24, Singapore daily The Straits Times reported today.

“To have 100 boats, we don't consider that normal. This is unprecedented. So... we have taken a very cautious approach,” he was quoted saying at a news conference here yesterday.

“We are shadowing, we are not just letting them go scot-free. The message we are sending is that these are our waters.”

Ahmad added that the Chinese boats had turned westward and its numbers had dropped to about 85 by the time the navy checked on the location where they were first spotted on Monday near the South Luconia Shoals, known locally as Beting Patinggi Ali.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein had voiced concern last week on the presence of the Chinese boats in Malaysian waters and sent the navy to check.

Several Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia, have expressed concerns over China’s maritime encroachment into resource-rich South China Sea in their backyard.

The Asian superpower has insisted its fishing boats were “in traditional Chinese fishing grounds”, despite being located some 3,000km away from the South China Sea.