Proclamation of the Exclusive Economic Zone of 25 April 1980

39 MALA 1 1. LIMITS OF NATIONAL JURISDICTION (a) Proclamation of the Exclusive Economic Zone of 25 April 1980 WHEREAS international law and practice now recognize that a coastal state may establish an exclusive economic zone in an area beyond and adjacent to the territorial waters up to a distance of 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial waters is measured; WHEREAS a coastal state has, in the exclusive economic zone: (a) sovereign rights, for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources, whether living or non-living, of the sea-bed and subsoil and the superjacent waters, and with regard to other activities for the economic exploration and exploitation of the zone, such as the production of energy from the water, currents and winds; (b) jurisdiction with regard to: (i) the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures; (ii) marine scientific research; (iii) the preservation of the marine environment; (c) other rights and duties as may be prescribed from time to time; WHEREAS without prejudice to the exercise o her sovereign rights over the natural resources in the sea-bed or subsoil of her continental shelf, it is necessary that Malaysia should claim sovereign rights and exercise jurisdiction as aforesaid; AND WHEREAS a number of States have taken action in pursuance of the existing law and practice and have made declarations in regard to their exclusive economic zones; NOW THEREFORE WE, Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta'in Billah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Abu Bakar Ri'Ayatuddin Al-Mu'Adzarn Shah by the Grace of Allah Hang di-Pertuan Agong of the States and territories of Malaysia, hereby declare and proclaim that the Federation of Malaysia shall have: (a) sovereign rights, for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources, whether living or non-living, of the sea-bed and subsoil and the superjacent waters, and with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the zone, such as the production of energy from the water, currents and winds; 40 MALA 2 (b) jurisdiction with regard to: (i) the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures; (ii) marine scientific research; (iii) the preservation of the marine environment; in the exclusive economic zone which is hereby established and that such exclusive economic zone shall extend to 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial waters is measured.