Of leaked notes and ruffled feathers

Keeping an eye out: A Chinese Coast Guard vessel was photographed in May monitoring the distribution of fuel and food to fishers by the civilian-led mission Atin Ito (This Is Ours) Coalition, in the disputed South China Sea. — AFP

ON Sept 4, Wisma Putra issued a media statement about lodging a police report on the leaking of classified information contained in a diplomatic note sent from China’s Foreign Ministry to the Malaysian embassy in Beijing.

The statement was released following an article published by a Philippine media portal on Aug 29. The diplomatic note was sent to the embassy on Feb 18 this year. Wisma Putra did not provide details about the leaked note or name the media organisation.

What is troubling is why classified information was leaked and published in the media six months after it had been communicated.

Naturally, Malaysia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry launched an internal investigation into this breach of security.

What is a diplomatic note? Basically, it is a secret communication between countries; it is like a personal letter but instead of being sent between friends or family members, it is an official communication between governments. All such official correspondence is understood to be confidential, regardless of content.

If someone finds and reads any diplomatic notes without permission, it is like someone reading your diary. It can be embarrassing and hurtful, and it can also cause problems in personal relationships.

Similarly, it is very important that diplomatic communications are kept secret because if they are leaked it can cause a lot of trouble among countries – especially when no context or history is given alongside the revealed content.

Although Wisma Putra did not name the portal involved, several media outlets have reported that it was inquirer.net that published the note under the provocative headline “Malaysia gets taste of China West Philippine Sea bullying”.

China’s position in this matter is well known. The South China Sea has been a contentious issue in Asean meetings for several years; China has deployed a range of military hardware, including antiship missiles, surface-to-air missiles, and electronic jammers across the area where it has built islets and turned maritime features into hardened military facilities.

Malaysia – along with affected Asean members Brunei, the Philippines, and Vietnam – is claiming a stake in the area. Taiwan is another claimant party.

Malaysia’s position on the South China Sea issue is clear and has always been consistent. We are a claimant state, and Malaysia takes the position that all claims must be based on and resolved in accordance with international law, in particular the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Malaysia and other Asean countries have been negotiating with China to finalise a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea since 2002. But the process has been painfully slow.

As far as Malaysia is concerned, any problem related to purported incursions by China in its maritime area has been handled quietly over the years. Malaysia and China have excellent bilateral ties, and when issues related to the South China Sea arise, quiet diplomacy has worked – and Malaysia will continue to work in this manner.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, in a media briefing this week, expressed China’s shock at the Philippine media report.

“This is apparently ill- motivated. We noted that Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement in response.

“China and Malaysia, as countries concerned in the South China Sea issue, have maintained close communication on properly addressing differences and disputes between the two sides, and have jointly made good contributions to the growth of China-Malaysia relations and regional peace and stability,” said Mao Ning.

While the Wisma Putra statement on the leaked diplomatic note was widely picked up and published by local mainstream media, it didn’t help that on social media, Malaysians are being bombarded with videos of a Chinese Coast Guard vessel purportedly clashing with another ship.

There are no details, but another X account is claiming more than 200 ships from China are hovering near Malaysian waters. One video uploaded purportedly shows a Chinese frigate in Malaysian waters. There is no confirmation from the authorities but both X accounts had recorded more than 800,000 views of the videos as I was writing this column yesterday.

In any bilateral relationship, any issues, especially involving maritime or land borders, are very sensitive and complex. In the case with China, Malaysia has always wanted to keep things under control, and the Chinese appreciate how we manage issues through the multifaceted ties the two nations established 50 years ago – not to mention our historical ties going back centuries.

There are many elements involved in areas of dispute in the South China Sea, including Malaysia’s economic wellbeing via exploration for oil and gas by PETRONAS.

Over the years there have been many sightings of Chinese Coast Guard vessels in Malaysian waters. Assets from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and the Navy are usually stationed near an area called the Luconia Shoals to monitor the situation.

“We have never been in aggressive mode. We have added ships there to make our presence known.

“We rotate these ships from time to time.

“We are mindful that China has the biggest naval fleet in the world. How do you compete with that?

“China does not send warships, and normally it would be their Coast Guard vessels. Even if they sent their frigates, they are the smaller ones,” said one Defence Ministry official.

He explained that some of the ships in Malaysia’s waters are just passing by.

“They are in our waters but they have not anchored. They are passing by, but if they anchor, they are laying claim to the area, and then we can take action.

“We have SOPs to deal with such a situation,” he said.

For a start, if this happens, a protest note is initiated, a move that has been made in the past.

Malaysia will not follow the Philippines’ confrontational path.

“They are confrontational with China, and the concern is once China is pushed, they may have to react in a stronger way. China is a big power. They must not be seen as weak.

“Malaysia is not a proxy for any country, we are independent in our way of managing relations, “ said a military officer.

The report by the Philippine media has unfortunately dragged Malaysia into the ongoing confrontation between China and the Philippines – and it didn’t help that the leak is reported to have come from the Malaysian side.

The leak has ruffled feathers, so now is the time for Malaysia to calm the waters.