By Oyintari Ben
Malaysia declared on Saturday that it was steadfastly dedicated to preserving its sovereign rights and interests in the South China Sea, following China’s concern over Malaysian energy projects in an area of the sea that China also claims.
Anwar Ibrahim, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, stated on Tuesday that China was concerned about activities being carried out by the state energy firm Petronas in a region of the South China Sea that Malaysia claims are its domain.
The opposition criticised Anwar for jeopardising Malaysia’s sovereignty when he suggested that he was willing to negotiate with China.
In a statement released on Saturday, the foreign ministry said Anwar’s remarks meant Malaysia wanted all South China Sea disputes to be settled peacefully and without compromising Malaysia’s position.
According to the ministry, “the government of Malaysia is unequivocally and firmly committed to protecting Malaysia’s sovereignty, sovereign rights, and interests in its maritime areas in the South China Sea.”
A $3 trillion worth of ship-borne trade runs through the South China Sea each year, through which China asserts control over nearly the whole region. There are various claims that overlap between Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
Recently, Chinese boats have come into contact with Petronas on several occasions. Petronas manages oil and gas fields in Malaysia’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Referring to a “nine-dash line” on its maps, China asserts its claim by cutting into the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia as far south as 1,500 km from its mainland.
However, the nine-dash line was declared to be without legal foundation by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016.
According to Anwar, Petronas will continue its operations in the South China Sea this week.
