KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said every action the government takes on the South China Sea issue is based on thorough and strategic consideration, and that Malaysia’s sovereignty will not be compromised.
He said matters related to the South China Sea were complex and sensitive and must be approached with great caution and diligence.
“I wish to emphasise that in dealing with disputes over the South China Sea, the government takes all necessary steps to ensure our sovereignty, sovereign rights and national interests remain central to every decision made,” he said in a written reply in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
“The government also consistently affirms Malaysia’s position in all engagements with foreign nations, at every level, from heads of state to government officials.”
Mohamad was responding to a question from Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (PN-Pagoh), who asked about the measures the government was taking to ensure Malaysia maintained a neutral yet sovereign position in international conflicts.
Muhyiddin‘s question referenced the Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 case, the South China Sea dispute and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent visits to Russia and China.
Mohamad said in its role as the Asean-China country coordinator until July 2027, Malaysia was working to expedite the negotiation process of the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea to ensure a substantive and effective agreement was concluded as soon as possible.
“Malaysia will continue to uphold its sovereignty, sovereign rights, and national interests in its maritime zones in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.”
On MH17, Mohamad said Malaysia remained committed to pursuing justice for all victims, their families, and the parties involved.
He said Anwar raised the outcome of the legal proceedings relating to the MH17 tragedy during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on May 14.
“President Putin expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, describing the incident as a tragedy, and gave assurance that Russia would cooperate with an independent and credible investigation.
“The Malaysian government reaffirms its commitment to a transparent judicial process, in accordance with international law, to hold those responsible for this horrific tragedy accountable, and remains steadfast in its pursuit of justice for the victims’ families,” he added.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
