KUALA LUMPUR:Malaysia is firm with its stand that matters relating to the South China Sea must be resolved peacefully and constructively, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today.
He said it must be resolved in accordance with the universally recognised principles of international law, including the United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.
“Malaysia is of the view that all parties need to work together to ensure that the South China Sea remains a sea of peace, stability and trade.
“As a coastal state, it is a matter of great significance that our maritime area is safe for international trade to prosper,” he said in his intervention during the plenary session of the 37th ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit and related meetings which begin Thursday.
Muhyiddin leads Malaysia's delegation to the meetings which are held virtually, from Kuala Lumpur.
Themed “Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN", this year's ASEAN Summit, hosted by Vietnam, are held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The prime minister also reiterated Malaysia's view that while international law guarantees the freedom of navigation, the presence of warships and vessels in the South China Sea has the potential to increase the tension that may, in turn, result in miscalculations which may affect peace, security and stability in the region.
On another note, Muhyiddin said ASEAN will remain a strategic player as a bloc in the ever-changing geopolitical landscape, which can only be achieved when all member states continue to communicate and work as a united bloc.
“The reality is that as small nations, we must coalesce with those who share similar values that would be able to defend and promote ASEAN Centrality, the region’s interest and with external parties.
“Malaysia hopes that with the many deliberations which ASEAN has worked on, our collective efforts may pave the way to the realisation of our aim to be the one ASEAN community that we all wanted – an entity that shares the one vision and aspiration in propelling our ASEAN Community to a greater height and strategic position which would contribute greatly to international peace, stability, security and prosperity,” he added.
The prime minister also welcomed the endorsement of Australia’s proposal for an annual ASEAN-Australia Leaders’ summits beginning from 2021.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Thu Nov 12 2020
An aerial view of uninhabited island of Spratlys in the disputed South China Sea. - REUTERS/Erik De Castro
Motorcycling - Marquez wins Australian MotoGP after intense battle with Martin
The 31-year-old, third in the championship standings, has now won the Australian MotoGP four times in the premier class.
Prabowo takes up Indonesian presidency, vows to tackle corruption, other issues
Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto on Sunday took over as president of the world's third-largest democracy, vowing to combat internal issues
Nepal's Sherpas deserve more, says teenager who scaled world's 14 tallest peaks
Sherpas are known for climbing skills that make them the backbone of mountain expeditions.
Inside the underground lab in China tasked with solving a physics mystery
China will soon collect neutrino data, aiming to unravel one of particle physics' biggest mysteries.
Millions in Cuba still without power as major outage persists
Millions of Cubans remain without electricity because of a prolonged outage at the main power plants on the island, Anadolu Agency reported.
Surge in Gaza violence increases famine risk, monitor says
About 1.84 million people across the besieged Palestinian enclave are living through high levels of acute food insecurity.
Israel pounds Beirut and Gaza after rockets hit Israel's north
A drone was launched at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's holiday home.
Elon Musk promises to award $1 mil each day to a signer of his petition
He awarded a $1 million check to an attendee of his event in Pennsylvania aimed at rallying supporters behind Donald Trump.
Former special forces commander Prabowo to take up Indonesian presidency
Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto will take over as president of the world's third-largest democracy after sweeping the country's election with policies like free meals for school children
Father of Malaysian Islamic banking, Abdul Halim Ismail passes away
His dedication and pioneering spirit played an important role in shaping the journey of Bank Islam as well as leaving a lasting impact on the development of Malaysia's Islamic finance industry.
Zayn Malik postpones US tour dates after One Direction bandmate Liam Payne's death
Payne, 31, died on Wednesday after falling from a third-floor hotel room balcony in Buenos Aires, shocking fans of the boy band.
Why voters in a handful of swing states will decide the US presidential election
The contest will almost certainly be decided by just tens of thousands of voters a tiny fraction of the populace in a handful of states.
INSIGHT - Sudan's war risks 'lost generation' of children
A devastating crisis is unfolding in Sudan, where the most vulnerable members of society children are bearing the brunt of the violence.
Who is Prabowo Subianto, incoming president of Indonesia?
A wealthy ex-general with ties to Indonesia's popular outgoing president and its dictatorial past, looks set to be its next leader.
Trump says he would impose tariffs on China if China went into Taiwan
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said he would impose additional tariffs on China if China were to "go into Taiwan,"
Iran's supreme leader says Hamas leader's death will not halt 'Axis of Resistance'
The "Axis of Resistance", built up with years of Iranian support, includes Hamas, the Lebanese Hezbollah group, the Houthi movement in Yemen, and various Shi'ite groups in Iraq and Syria.
Putin says Russia willing to seek compromises between Iran and Israel
Russia is ready to help seek compromises between arch-foes Israel and Iran, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday, saying these would be difficult but possible.
What proposals will Russia push at the BRICS summit?
The proposal is also to establish a BRICS reinsurance company to allow uninterrupted shipment of goods and key commodities between members.
Indonesia's free meals plan in the spotlight as Prabowo readies for office
Prabowo calls the programme one of the main drivers of economic growth, eventually set to add an estimated 2.5 million jobs.
Astro AWANI's revamped English news website, AWANI International, launches on Oct 21
Astro AWANI's revamped English platform delivers in-depth global news and expert analysis to keep you informed on key developments.