evidence: You would expect more noise out of Kuala Lumpur. The Malaysian government claims a dozen Spratly islands in the disputed South China Sea. China and Taiwan claim them as well along with the rest of the 3.5 million-square-kilometer sea that’s packed with fish, gas and oil. Malaysia even opened one islet, Layang Layang, to diving tourism. The Southeast Asian country has reserves of 5 billion barrels of crude oil and 80 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in sea, more than other claimants, the U.S. Energy Information Administration says. But Malaysia says little about its claims compared to ever-vociferous neighbors such as China, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines. Malaysia tries to avoid rocking boats because the claimant most likely to splash disputed water on it is China. China happens to be Malaysia's chief economic partner and one with a record of withdrawing economic support elsewhere when friends turn hostile. [...] But for the past year China has stationed a coast guard ship at one shoal that Malaysia claims and it regularly patrols another. There’s no way Malaysia can be thrilled. The country’s Prime Minister Najib Razak recently told fellow Southeast Asian leaders that "as China continues to grow its military presence in the region, tensions continue among Malaysia and neighboring countries over the hotly disputed waters," local news outlet The Star Online said Monday. Najib urged that claimants to the sea to "recommit to the full and effective implementation" of a code of conduct that would avoid mishaps. Some people want their government to take an ever tougher line on China.