What poaching, an illegal act, do you mean? If we're talking international laws, then the area is still in dispute by many nations, and even if China wasn't involved, you still have Vietnam claiming most of the area. And if we're talking about good neighborliness by China to voluntarily restrain itself, then it's just PR and propaganda, and no international laws are involved.
There is a reason why rule based order is important or else it is total chaos. The Luconia shoals is well within Malaysia's EEZ and if Malaysia is saying the conduct of others is illegal it's position is grounded on the provisions of UNCLOS. That is crystal clear. There is tension because there are counter parties that do not respect the rule of law other than declaring it's position is indisputable and behaving that might is right.
My view of China's SCS claims are indeed land/features-based, meaning no territorial waters inside the dreaded 9-dash lines are claimed, except 500m/3mi/12mi zones. But, that has nothing to do with whose EEZ the fishing fleet in question was in, ergo "poaching" isn't a supportable claim.
Again, the waters in question are claimed by multiple parties and it's not clear anyone is breaking any laws. Quoting articles with no legal authority means nothing; they're free to render opinions, but that's all they are, opinions.
I am not convinced that Singapore is interested in a light carrier. In my view people are connecting the wrong dots. It may be Singapore is interested in upgrading eventually the size of its multi mission vessel (currently the Endurance class). I believe the main military utility of such a vessel will be for ASW just as with what the Japanese has demonstrated with the Hyuga. The notion of putting F-35B's on them while attractive at face value has limited military utility because of the limited number you can actually placed on it, Even the LHA America at 40000 tons can only house 20 F-35B units. Australia had looked into the feasibility of F-35B's on the Canberra and it was not a compelling cost benefit proposition. Singapore might be interested in the F-35B's but I believe it is a strategic emphasis to be able to disperse some of its air assets given the limited size of the island and the lack of airfields. I think the problem is connecting the F-35B to a Navy platform.
