KUALA LUMPUR: Any decisions concerning the Straits of Melaka must be made collectively by all countries involved, amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainties affecting global maritime routes.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said any move or decision involving the strategic waterway must be agreed upon by Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.
“I believe the Foreign Minister has already stated that whatever is to be done in the Straits of Melaka must receive a joint decision from the countries in the region, namely Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand,” he told reporters on Thursday (April 23).
He stressed that the Straits of Melaka remain safe and secure, with no disruptions to shipping traffic.
“There are no obstacles for vessels passing through, and there is no reason for any country, whether a small or major power, to express intentions of controlling it, as the countries here are fully capable of managing it,” he added.
He was asked to comment on talks that the United States was planning to take control of the Straits of Melaka.
Previously, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan had said no unilateral decision should be made regarding the waterway.
Speaking as an additional invited panellist at the 10th Better Nation Forum on the impact of the US-Iran conflict on Malaysia, Mohamad said maritime security in the Straits of Melaka is maintained through an Asean consensus-based approach.
He noted that Malaysia, along with Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand, shares a strong understanding and conducts coordinated patrols to ensure safe passage through the strait, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.
“Asean operates on consensus. Even at the sub-committee level, everything is based on consensus,” he said.
Mohamad added that the stance comes amid prolonged geopolitical uncertainties in West Asia, which could heighten risks to other strategic maritime chokepoints, including the Straits of Melaka.
