Muhyiddin chides Anwar's 'careless' remarks on South China Sea dispute

 

Perikatan Nasional chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin has blasted Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's "careless" remarks about the South China Sea dispute.

This comes after Anwar said Malaysia is open to negotiations following Beijing voicing its disapproval of Petronas' operations in a portion of the South China Sea.

In a statement, the former prime minister warned that Anwar's comments could indirectly confirm China's claim to an area that is legally Malaysian territory.

"In reality, the area of Petronas' exploration project is within Malaysian territory and cannot be negotiated even if China claimed it.

"The prime minister's statement about Malaysia's openness to negotiate over its territorial rights has invited the risk of a threat to national sovereignty," Muhyiddin said on Facebook.

The Pagoh MP also took issue with Anwar's statement on the presence of Chinese naval ships in waters claimed by seven countries, including Malaysia.

Muhyiddin argued that Malaysia should firmly defend its territorial sovereignty and follow the Malaysian map from 1979.

He added that the disagreement over the region had not yet been settled and that Asean has not reached an agreement on the matter, despite China's assertion that this encompassed international waterways.

Muhyiddin also noted that Asean has refused to recognise China's "nine-dash line" claim across the South China Sea - a boundary that the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague determined to be without legal foundation in 2016.

"Any discussions must be made in accordance with the Asean Consensus and the South China Sea Code of Conduct.

"While Malaysia recognises China as a global economic power, our national sovereignty cannot be compromised at all.

"Considering Asean's position as a group of 10 countries, Malaysia must deal with international maritime issues more cautiously," Muhyiddin concluded.

Overlapping claims

On April 3, Anwar reportedly said Malaysia was prepared to negotiate with China over the South China Sea dispute.

He said the issue was raised at the four-eyed meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his official visit to China as Petronas has the largest platform for oil exploration operating in the area.

"China is also staking claim over the area. I said as a small country that needs oil and gas resources, we have to continue, but if the condition is that there must be negotiations, then we are ready to negotiate," Bernama reported him as saying.

However, a day later, Anwar informed the Dewan Rakyat that Petronas’ oil and gas exploration project was in the Malaysian territorial seas.

“This matter was raised (with China) because both sides have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, especially China’s concerns over Petronas carrying out large-scale activities in an area that China also claimed.

“I informed Prime Minister Li Qiang and Xi that Malaysia considers the area as Malaysian waters.

“As such, Petronas will continue its excavation in the area,” Anwar said.

Using the "nine-dash line”, China has continued to encroach on the exclusive economic zones of Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and the Philippines in the South China Sea. - Mkini