REMBAU: The seven Malaysian tankers currently stranded in the Strait of Hormuz would be able to sail soon, says Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
“I have spoken to my Iranian counterpart and this was followed by a call made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian).
“The Iranian government has agreed to allow the ships through the strait.”
Mohamad added that there would be a window of time during which these tankers would be allowed to leave the strait, which could take place at any time from now.
Mohamad said the seven tankers were among several others owned by PETRONAS, MISC Bhd and Sapura Energy.
The delays were probably caused by communication problems and the fact that many vessels were already stranded in the vicinity, he told reporters at his Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house in Rantau yesterday.
A Malaysian cargo ship carrying fertiliser had earlier been given the greenlight to sail through the strait.
According to reports, some 2,000 commercial vessels are currently stranded in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz.
On another matter, Mohamad said Malaysia will send a diplomatic note to the Philippines government to reject any claims on Sabah.
He said no one could lay claim to Sabah, which has been part of the federation since 1963, adding that recent claims made in the Philippines were politically motivated.
“This is nothing new as we have done so tens of times previously.
“To me, this is yet another attempt to divert attention from their internal problems.”
Mohamad said such claims were made by certain politicians to gain support from their constituents.
He noted that there was no basis for such claims, as Sabahans had themselves chosen to join the federation through the Cobbold Commission and the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
“Even the United Nations had recognised and endorsed this.”
Mohamad was asked to comment on a recent statement by Philippine Senator Robin Padilla, who urged President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr to revive the Philippines’ claim over Sabah.
The call was made amid the petroleum crisis and fuel price hike in the Philippines due to the Middle East crisis.
Padilla had said in a Facebook post that the Philippine government should send emissaries to Malaysia to negotiate territorial claims over Sabah – a state known to be rich in oil and gas.
Mohamad brushed aside the suggestion, saying it was made solely by the senator and would not affect diplomatic ties between Malaysia and the Philippines.
“We also know that the Philippines government has already made a clear stand on this,” he said.
