Both Putrajaya and Wisma Putra have expressed their concern over a security partnership involving Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, known as Aukus, which they fear can potentially lead to a nuclear arms race in the Indo Pacific region.

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has already conveyed his concern over the matter to the three nations in a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

Analysts contend that the fear is that the Aukus pact will provoke other nations in the region to act aggressively, especially the highly-sensitive South China Sea.

The statement from the PMO added that as a member nation of Asean, Malaysia subscribes to the principle of maintaining the region as a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality or Zopfan.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, in a telephone call from Canberra, informed and explained to Datuk Ismail Sabri the Aukus deal which is aimed at helping the Aussies acquire nuclear-powered submarines.

Datuk Ismail Sabri in response stressed the importance of respecting and abiding by the existing view of Malaysia on nuclear-powered submarines operating in the country’s waters including under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 and the South-East Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone treaty.

The Malaysian Prime Minister urged all quarters to avoid a build-up of nuclear arms in the region and agreed to strengthen cooperation and consultation with Australia in various aspects including in the area of defence under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE