PN man backs Anwar’s stance against western views of China

PN man backs Anwar’s stance against western views of China

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s current stance on the South China Sea dispute is the right move, says former foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah, lending his support to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s stance against anti-China western propaganda.

Saifuddin said Malaysia’s foreign policies have always been principled and consistent, taking a measured and calculated approach in both words and deeds.

“We have our own understanding of the geopolitics of the world, especially when it comes to the actions and habits of the superpowers,” said Saifuddin, who is head of Perikatan Nasional in Pahang and MP for Indera Mahkota.

He said Malaysia’s bilateral relations with China and the US, especially in trade and economic ties, “are based on our own reading of the current situation and are not influenced by other powers’ opinions”

“On Western propaganda against China — as stated by the prime minister — I tend to agree with him,” he told FMT.

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Maritime dispute

He was commenting on Anwar pushing back against attempts to portray China as aggressive and confrontational, saying such narratives often emanate from “Western capitalists”.

The prime minister had said Asean must work together to defend against China’s claims to sovereignty over the South China Sea, as there were mechanisms available to resolve such disputes in a non-confrontational manner.

Saifuddin agreed with Anwar, saying Malaysia should continue making use of the Asean mechanisms to deal with any territorial disputes with China, including pushing for the code of conduct in the South China Sea to be finalised.

“It is not about being tougher, it’s about securing our interests and upholding our national sovereignty,” he said.

He added that this did not mean Malaysia was giving China leeway when it came to intrusions, asserting that Malaysia has been firm and uncompromising when it came to territorial disputes.

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Fallback options

However, security and strategy analyst Collins Chong came out against any actions that ran afoul of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and a 2016 ruling that China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea had no legal basis.

Chong said right-minded nations that upheld rules-based order were obliged to oppose such risks to their sovereignty when threatened.

“We do not resort to high-intensity, direct confrontation, but it does not mean that we are weak in defending our interests. We need to increase our defence leverage and alliance with established powers in safeguarding and upholding national sovereignty and international law.”