Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) president Jeffrey Kitingan said Malaysia must never bow down to actions that can be termed as bullying by any foreign superpower, including China.

“Malaysia must summon the ambassador of China on this matter immediately. This is a serious encroachment into our territory.

“The government must send a strong diplomatic protest to Beijing and the UN against China’s military activities in the South China Sea,” he said.

The Sabah deputy chief minister also called on the government to immediately request for a UN Security Council meeting in order to find a solution to rising tension in the area, which has been provoked by China’s military presence and activities.

Kitingan has been vocal about China’s military actions in the South China Sea, expressing outrage at its “overt and hostile posturing” following the revelation that 16 Chinese military aircraft flew into Malaysian airspace.

Kitingan did not rule out China’s interest in the rich natural resources in the region as being the motive behind its bullying smaller nations, including Malaysia, particularly Sabah and Sarawak.

“The South China Sea is an international shipping trade route and the waters of the two states are rich in resources like oil and gas,” he said.

He expressed fear that should a military conflict take place involving powerful nations over the South China Sea issue, Sabah, particularly, would feel the effects.

A security pact between the US, the United Kingdom and Australia, known as Aukus, has been established as a response by Western allies to avert China’s dominance in Southeast Asia and beyond, particularly the South China Sea.

Meanwhile, Royal Malaysian Navy deputy chief Vice-Admiral Abdul Rahman Ayob said the encroachment by Chinese vessels into Malaysian waters had been happening since 2013, but noted that such incidents had increased of late.