Malaysia Urges ASEAN Unites for South China Sea Stabilization

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Malaysia's Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir urged ASEAN to unite in the interest of preserving the peace and stability in the disputed South China Sea.

According to Zambry, ASEAN must show its strong commitment to resolving the maritime dispute in the area. "We have to reinforce our commitment. We have to gather everyone and show our commitment that we are united," said Zambry to reporters after the ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting in Jakarta, Tuesday, July 11, 2023.

Zambry said that the South China Sea issue has been discussed previously in Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Ministerial Meeting held in Baku, Azerbaijan, on July 5, 2023. Malaysia wished to approach NAM to maintain the peace in the South China Sea but ultimately rejected ASEAN's proposal to be included in its final document due to reservations from several third-party countries to the conflict. "The effort carried out by ASEAN has not been regarded by NAM. Thus, I will say that ASEAN lost its relevancy in NAM and vice versa," said Zambry.

The South China Sea is highly disputed by several countries for its alleged rich energy resources. China claimed a majority of the area with "9 dashed lines" on a map extended over 1,500 kilometers from the mainland. However, in 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration rejected the territorial claim by China on a lack of legal basis. Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam also claimed sovereignty over the area.

 ANTARA

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