Commentary: Malaysia and the South China Sea dispute – a sea change under PM Anwar Ibrahim?
Sometimes it appears as if Kuala Lumpur is leaning towards Beijing’s position.
(CNA) – According to a recent spate of articles, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has recalibrated the country’s foreign policy, giving it a more pro-China and anti-Western slant.
In particular, it has been suggested that Kuala Lumpur has moved closer to China’s position on the South China Sea dispute in stating that the dispute should be resolved among claimant states without the involvement of external parties, and that this could cause problems for Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) unity when Malaysia takes over as chairman next year.
In reality, however, the Anwar government’s stance on the maritime dispute remains broadly consistent with that of its predecessors. And for good reason.
