KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will remain consistent in protecting its sovereignty, rights and interests in the country's Exclusive Economic Zone in South China Sea.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said despite elements of major power rivalry trickling into territorial disputes, Malaysia's position remained firm.
"The militarisation of the maritime region, coupled with the use of grey zone tactics to reinforce claims and stymy the lawful exploitation of resources, is neither peaceful nor constructive.
"(And) Malaysia has always advocated for peaceful and constructive settlement of all disputes, in line with international laws' recognised norms and principles, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea," he said in his keynote address at the 36th Asia-Pacific Roundtable (36APR) organised by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia.
Present were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Liew Chin Tong.
Anwar said Malaysia must continue to ride on its good relations with both China and the United States to promote a stronger rules-and-norm-based order.
"In our estimation, both China and the US have affirmed their commitment to it and it must go beyond multilateral trade dealings to the realm of a practical geostrategic architecture.
"This order is not based on might or the tendency to ignore the very rules and norms one preaches about when it is inconvenient, else it is unconducive and hypocritical.
"Hence, it must be an order based on fairness, respect and understanding, compassion and international law.
"There must also be a serious effort to give effect to these grandiloquent terms and Malaysia will do our part to promote this consensus."