GEORGE TOWN: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's reiteration in an interview with China's national broadcaster CCTV, that Asean should remain independent and a zone of peace, freedom and neutrality is timely amid the heightened rivalry between the United States and China, DAP said.
DAP national chairman Lim Guan Eng said this should send a message to the superpowers not to turn the seas around Asean into a war zone.
He said, for this reason, Australia's purchase of eight nuclear attack submarines for A$68 billion under the Australia, United Kingdom and US (AUKUS) security pact could pose an unwanted escalation that could heighten military tensions between the superpowers.
"Bearing in mind that Australia is just a next-door neighbour to Asean. Having eight nuclear attack submarines at our doorstep can only aggravate the situation in the region.
"Even though the three countries have given their assurances that the nuclear attack submarines do not include nuclear weapons, but only nuclear engines with conventional weapons, this is a step away from arming a nuclear attack submarine with nuclear warheads.
"Even with nuclear engines, any incursion into Asean waters will pose risks to the bustling sea cargo traffic in the busiest trade route in the world.
"DAP fully supports Anwar in stating that Malaysia has raised concern and is adopting a tougher line that Aukus in the Indo-Pacific will further aggravate the situation in the region.
"Such concerns are valid in the light of the current increased tensions in the Taiwan Strait despite all countries to the dispute agreeing with the One China policy, that Taiwan is an inalienable and indisputable part of China," he said in his latest Facebook posting today.
Lim said Malaysia did not want to be drawn into any military conflict.
"Instead, we will strive to trade with all superpowers in the hope that the mutual benefits and wealth from free trade unhampered by restrictions to navigation in international waters can contribute towards peace and prosperity."