PM denies negotiating with China over oil exploration area issue
Published on: Saturday, April 08, 2023
By: Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today denied claims by the Opposition that the government had been negotiating with China over the ongoing issue involving Petronas’ exploration activity in the South China Sea during his official visit to the country recently.
The prime minister said such allegations were baseless, adding that Petronas continues implementing its exploration activities in the South China Sea.
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“It just so happens that China is claiming that area of the sea. I replied to the Chinese leadership, I said we have to continue the project because it is in our area,” he said in his speech at the Federal Territories Nur Ramadan programme at the Ar-Rahah Mosque here today.
Anwar said since the area was in Malaysian territory, exploration activities will carry on.
“They (China) said they are also claiming the same. That’s alright, but we will carry on. They (Opposition), however have twisted the matter by saying that I was negotiating because the (exploration) project was not happening,” he said.
Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was earlier reported to have criticised Anwar over what he claimed as issuing ‘careless’ remarks over the South China Sea issue.
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