The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said only 82 foreign fishing boats were seen in Malaysia’s waters in the South China Sea near Miri, Sarawak, by Friday (March 25), a day after a Cabinet minister said 100 Chinese boats were sighted in the area.
MMEA director-general Ahmad Puzi Ab Kahar also told reporters on Saturday the agency could not yet determine who the boats belonged to due to the lack of identification such as flags, or panel numbers on the boats, state news agency Bernama reported.
His update came two days after Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim was reported by Malaysia media as saying 100 Chinese fishing boats had been spotted in the waters, amid rising regional tensions in the contested waters.
http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/82-foreign-fishing-boats-left-in-malaysian-waters-in-south-china-sea-by-friday-official