(FMT) – Foreign Affairs Minister Saifuddin Abdullah conceded today that Malaysia needs more naval assets to face the “giants” involved in disputes over the South China Sea.

He said Malaysia has placed boats to safeguard its waters but they are “fewer and smaller in size” compared to those of other nations.

“Our warships are a lot smaller than those from China’s Coast Guard,” he told Ismail Sabri Yaakob (Bera-BN) in the Dewan Rakyat.

Ismail Sabri had said China was being aggressive and their “presence can be felt in the East Coast”.