By Tariq Ismail

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia--The International Affairs Bureau of Parti Pejuang Tanahair wishes to seek clarification from the Minister of Defense, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, on his reply to the Pakatan Harapan Security Committee where he stated "… proposal to get China's views on the AUKUS issue so that Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries can take proactive action.”

We would like to remind the Minister of Defense, that in April this year when he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs, he used the term "Big Brother" to describe Malaysia's relations with China.

If it is true as the Government and the Minister of Defense deny that Malaysia is following the lead of China, then the YB Minister does not need to face them in Beijing just to get an opinion on AUKUS.

Malaysia's stance on the South China Sea should have been emphasized when the Prime Minister addressed the UN General Assembly.

In fact, the issue of the South China Sea should have the consensus of ASEAN members and not unilaterally by Malaysia through direct discussions that ignore other ASEAN members.

Southeast Asia and ASEAN have so far agreed on the assumption that the South China Sea is a common heritage that should be maintained and governed together. But this happened before a new wave of neo-colonialism in which the great powers tried to influence the Asian countries one by one in order to safeguard their respective political and economic interests.

It is not appropriate for Malaysia not to set our stand, and then bow to the whims of the big powers simply because Malaysia is a small country.

Global leadership in this context must come from small nations that are united and unanimously reject foreign intervention in our waters.

The South China Sea has been agreed by all as a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN), and we should be determined to uphold it. The South China Sea is a shared heritage of Southeast Asian societies in particular.

Responsibility for the customs and laws of the sea we must bear together for our own benefit. Claims by countries from outside Southeast Asia, should be seen as violating our sovereignty and should be considered accordingly.

We would like to recommend to the Minister of Defense, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the top leadership of Malaysia to take the next step by strengthening ASEAN Plus politically and economically. Politically, ASEAN Plus (which involves the world’s major powers) can play a role in preventing wars between the US and China, the US and North Korea, as well as conflicts in the South China Sea as well as other places such as the Middle East.

ASEAN needs to leverage on its relationship with ASEAN Plus partners to drive a common political, economic and humanitarian agenda.

The recommendations of the Bureau of International Affairs are:

a) In line with the underlying principles of UNCLOS and ZOPFAN, the regulation of the South China Sea must be strictly exercised by ASEAN members and exceptions only upon mutual agreement of ASEAN members. This is to prohibit a country from acting alone in the spirit of "Freedom of Navigation" and its operations, by creating a similar mechanism to "maintain for all States the balance of legal interests set out in the norms of international law as reflected in the Law. the Law of the Maritime Convention”.

b) In addition, although nuclear-powered military vessels may be allowed to pass through the South China Sea (subject to agreed prohibitions based on the prevailing international law), military exercises involving nuclear-powered ships should be strictly prohibited in the waters of the South China Sea including in the waters who is not biased,

c) Malaysia and ASEAN must formulate a security framework together with ASEAN Plus members including the EU, China, Russia and India to preserve the sovereignty of Southeast Asia in particular and the Indo-Pacific region in general to offset acts of aggression from any party.

An overall policy that strengthens and binds the unity and stability of Asia will benefit Malaysia.

*Tariq Ismail is International Affairs Bureau Chief and an Executive Council Member of Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang)*