KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia maintains its stand that the formation of a trilateral security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States (AUKUS) raises concerns as it has the potential to disrupt peace and stability in Southeast Asia.
Defense Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said it was consistent with the stance voiced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob that AUKUS could provoke other powers to act more aggressively in the region, especially in the South China Sea.
"This stance has not changed even after the meeting with Australian special envoy Vice Admiral David Johnston and prior to that, I had a telephone conversation with Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton.
"In both of the discussions, I emphasised that Malaysia does not want to be dragged into the geopolitics of the world's big powers in the region," he said during the Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a question from Datuk Mohd Nizar Zakaria (UMNO-Parit) who wanted to know the government's latest stance on AUKUS following Johnston's recent visit.
Hishammuddin said during the discussions, he also emphasised that as an ASEAN country, Malaysia adhered to the principle of maintaining ASEAN as a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN).
"Australia must respect this principle and Malaysia's stance on nuclear-powered submarines operating in Malaysian waters, including under the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea and the South East Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone.
"I also said that if a warship or nuclear-powered submarine enters Malaysian waters, intends or wants to conduct military exercise with Malaysia, special approval from the Malaysian Minister of Defence must first be obtained which I will consider on a case by case basis," he said.
To a supplementary question by Mohd Nizar on whether the government planned to utilise defense cooperation at the ASEAN level to voice concerns over AUKUS, Hishammuddin said he expected a common stand to be decided at the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting to be held next month.
He said he was also in communication with the Defence Ministers of Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei and would contact the Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and the Defence Minister tomorrow, and the Philippine Defense Minister soon.
"I hope what Malaysia and the countries concerned have created bilaterally can help us look into how we can balance the big powers in our region," he added.
Meanwhile, Hishammuddin said Malaysia would host the 50th anniversary celebration of the Five Power Defence Agreement involving Malaysia, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore in a few weeks.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Tue Oct 12 2021
Hishammuddin emphasised that Malaysia does not want to be dragged into the geopolitics of the world's big powers in the region. - BERNAMA/Filepic
Berita tempatan pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Berikut adalah berita yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang Selasa, 30 April 2024.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Piala Thomas: Malaysia muncul naib juara Kumpulan D
Malaysia melolosi Kumpulan D Piala Thomas selaku naib juara apabila tunduk 2-3 kepada Denmark, sebentar tadi.
10 Berita Pilihan - (30 April 2024)
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Pelaksanaan hukuman sebat di khalayak di bawah bidang kuasa negeri - Mohd Na'im
Hukuman sebat bagi pesalah syariah di khalayak ramai adalah di bawah bidang kuasa negeri.
Kargo udara global catat pertumbuhan berganda pada Mac - IATA
Industri kargo udara global mencatatkan 23.1 bilion tan kargo kilometer (CTK) pada Mac, mewakili pertumbuhan 10.3 peratus dari tahun ke tahun, menurut Persatuan Pengangkutan Udara Antarabangsa (IATA).
FAM buat persiapan awal aksi menentang Krygystan, Taiwan
Persatuan Bolasepak Malaysia (FAM) telah membuat perancangan awal dalam usaha membantu skuad Harimau Malaya mencipta sejarah mara ke pusingan ketiga Kelayakan Piala Dunia buat kali pertama.
Tumpuan Rabu - 01 Mei 2024
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan di Astro AWANI.
Matrade sasar ketengahkan 150 syarikat Malaysiaa di CAEXPO 2024
Matrade menyasar untuk menampilkan 150 syarikat Malaysia di CAEXPO 2024 yang akan berlangsung di Nanning, China dari 24 hingga 28 Sept, 2024.
Malaysia perlu guna kepakaran, sumber secara kolektif bagi memacu industri halal - Tengku Zafrul
Malaysia perlu memanfaatkan kepakaran dan sumber secara kolektif bagi memacu pertumbuhan dan pembangunan mampan dalam industri halal.
Isu kewarganegaraan: "Jangan samakan saya dengan Hishammuddin" - Saifuddin
Kementerian Dalam Negeri memberi jaminan bahawa permohonan kewarganegaraan hanya akan mengambil masa setahun apabila pindaan Perlembagaan diluluskan di Parlimen kelak.
Pemergian Abdul Taib kehilangan besar buat Sarawak - Hishammuddin
Hishammuddin sekeluarga berdukacita terima berita pemergian Abdul Taib ke rahmatullah pagi ini.
'Menteri-menteri pun kelihatan tidak minat dengan Belanjawan 2024' - Hishammuddin
Adalah tidak mencukupi andai menteri hanya bersandarkan kenyataan melalui sidang media atau di media sosial.
Pertahan hak Israel umpama satu penghinaan - Hishammuddin
Rakyat Palestin telah menderita lebih 50 tahun kerana dijajah oleh zionis.
'Sekarang baru dapat masa healing' - Hishammuddin
Selepas 30 tahun aktif berpolitik, baru kini bekas Naib Presiden UMNO berpeluang menenangkan diri sendiri.
PRN: Hishammuddin idola calon PN Harrison Hassan
Calon PN bagi DUN Jeram menjadikan Ahli Parlimen Sembrong, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein sebagai idola dalam gelanggang politik.
Hishammuddin persoal keikhlasan Zahid terima semula ahli UMNO dipecat, digantung
Ahli Parlimen Sembrong, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein mempersoalkan keikhlasan pelawaan UMNO untuk menerima kembali mana-mana ahlinya yang dikenakan tindakan disiplin.
Masuk Bersatu? Khairy jumpa Muhyiddin minggu depan
Khairy berkata demikian dalam podcast 'Keluar Sekejap bersama Shahril Hamdan', yang disiarkan pada Jumaat.
Gambar Hishammuddin peluk Noh curi perhatian
Perkongsian gambar oleh bekas Naib Presiden UMNO, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein bersama sahabat baiknya, Tan Sri Noh Omar mencuri perhatian netizen.
Tiada keperluan pelawa bekas ahli UMNO ke PAU - Hishammuddin
Tiada keperluan untuk mempelawa bekas ahli UMNO yang dipecat untuk menghadiri Perhimpunan Agung UMNO (PAU).