Muhyiddin slams Anwar over ‘careless’ South China Sea remarks

 

Perikatan Nasional chairman Muhyiddin Yassin (left) accused Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of indirectly acknowledging China’s claim on an area that officially belonged to Malaysia.

PETALING JAYA: Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Muhyiddin Yassin has hit out at Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for making purportedly “careless” remarks on the South China Sea, which is the centre of territorial disputes between several countries.

This comes after the prime minister said Beijing had expressed concern over Petronas’ activities in an area of the South China Sea which was being claimed by China.

Anwar had said Putrajaya was open to hold negotiations with Beijing “if China feels this is their right”.

In a statement, Muhyiddin claimed Anwar had indirectly acknowledged China’s claim on an area that officially belonged to Malaysia, adding that Malaysia’s territory must be defended.

“The reality is the area of Petronas’ exploration project, which was referred to by the prime minister, is within Malaysia’s territory and cannot be negotiated over or demanded by China.

“The prime minister’s statement on Malaysia’s openness to negotiations on the nation’s territory could threaten the nation’s sovereignty,” said the former prime minister.

Muhyiddin also said the prime minister should be “more stern” in defending Malaysian waters, after several Chinese naval vessels were spotted in the area.

While China had claimed this involved international waters, the Pagoh MP said the dispute over the area had yet to be resolved and that Asean had yet to reach a consensus on the matter.

He also pointed out that Asean had refused to recognise China’s “nine-dash line” over the South China Sea, a boundary found to have no legal basis by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague in 2016.

“Any discussion must be held in line with the Asean consensus and South China Sea code of conduct. While Malaysia recognises China as a global economic power, Malaysia’s sovereignty cannot be compromised.

“Considering Asean’s position as an association of 10 countries, Malaysia must handle international maritime issues more carefully,” said the Bersatu president.

On Tuesday, Anwar told the Dewan Rakyat that Putrajaya believed the Petronas exploration project was within Malaysian waters.

China has maintained claims to sovereignty over the South China Sea, parts of which are also claimed by Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. - FMT