Malaysia’s Anwar puts non-aligned stance in focus with remarks on Taiwan

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s recent comments about Taiwan have raised questions about whether Malaysia is still committed to its traditional policy of non-alignment and not picking sides between China and the United States.

In an interview with Al Jazeera that aired earlier this month, Anwar stated that he saw Taiwan “as part of China, period”, adding that this was “accepted by all”.

More controversially, when asked whether he would condemn China if it resorted to force in the event that peaceful “reunification” did not work, Anwar said that if a Malaysian state were attempting to break away, he would use force to “protect the sanctity and unity of” Malaysia.

Anwar’s comments were praised by the Chinese government, with a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman stressing that Taiwan is “an inalienable part of China’s territory” and that “China must and will be reunited”.

Taiwan’s government condemned the remarks and warned that Anwar’s “one-sided support for China could negatively impact Taiwanese businesses’ confidence in investing in Malaysia”.

Taiwan, the world’s largest chips producer, is a major investor in Malaysia, particularly in the country’s crucial semiconductor industry.

Asked about the issue by local media, Anwar appeared to walk back some of his comments, stressing that Malaysia respected China’s position but favoured a peaceful resolution to tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

Anwar courted headlines again several days after his Al Jazeera interview when he called for the bolstering of Malaysia’s defences in the Bornean state of Sabah.