Malaysia will not allow ships carrying nuclear weapons to dock

KUALA LUMPUR: Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu said Malaysia will not allow any ships carrying nuclear weapons to dock or carry out training in Malaysian waters because it could lead to conflict in the region.
"If these ships want to pass through, we can discuss it but if they want to make stopovers and carry out training, then Malaysia will not agree because it can cause conflict in the region in the future," he said.
Mohamad was replying to a supplementary question from Hassan Abdul Karim (PH-Pasir Gudang) on the country's stand on nuclear-powered warships or those carrying nuclear weapons passing through Malaysian waters.
He said the Melaka was the busiest shipping route in the world with more than 100,000 ships passing through each year and that the security of the South China Sea and the strait was crucial to Malaysia.
"As such, we will hold diplomatic dialogues on defence with the big powers to ensure that they do not make the South China Sea a battlefield," he said.
Mohamad said the presence of superpowers like China and the United States who were flexing their muscles in the South China Sea was very worrying.
As such, he said, diplomatic efforts would be continued with both these nations so that this area does not become their battlefield.
Replying to a question from Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican (BN-Kepala Batas) on the new philosophy and strategy of the Defence Ministry to be introduced soon, Mohamad said it would still be based on the National Defence Policy.
"The objective of the National Defence Policy is to protect and defend the strategic interests of the nation which is core to the sovereignty and regional strength as well as for the national economy," he said.
He said the Defence Ministry under the new government, would review the National Defence Policy so that the defence philosophies, principles and strategies are in line with present-day challenges and developments, while at the same time, continue with old policies which benefit national security.
In a separate development, Mohamad said Malaysia will recall its soldiers who are still in Saudi Arabia.
"The evacuation process to bring back Malaysians from Yemen during the conflict period has ended, so the soldiers who have been based there since 2015 will be brought back" he said, adding that Malaysia did not wish to be involved in regional conflicts.
"Our nation holds to the policy of neutrality, Malaysia will only send forces to other countries if there is a request for it by the United Nations.
"We have sent peacekeepers to Congo, Somalia, the Iraq border and now to Lebanon under the United Nations flag. At present, there are about 800 of our forces guarding the stability in Lebanon under the UN flag," he said. — Bernama