Malaysia’s Anwar on Singapore’s Hormuz stance: ‘that’s their affair’

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has reaffirmed Malaysia’s independent foreign policy stance, saying that while the nation prioritises maintaining strong ties with its neighbours, it remains firm in its refusal to overlook the causes of current regional instability.Responding to recent remarks by Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, who stated that the republic would not negotiate for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, Anwar said Malaysia’s diplomatic approach is guided by its own sovereign principles.Balakrishnan had previously asserted that transit through such international waterways is a right under international law rather than a privilege to be granted by bordering states.“That is Singapore’s view. That is their affair. Our business is that we maintain good relations while taking a firm stand,” Anwar told reporters in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.“We cannot discuss Iran’s response without also speaking about the cruel and barbaric attacks by Israel against Iran, supported by the United States.“Our foreign policy is clear. We must maintain our friendships with neighbouring countries, but our position is firm.”The prime minister’s comments come as Malaysia is listed among several Asian nations whose vessels have been granted passage through the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces, following the outbreak of conflict in late February.While Singapore has emphasised the legal right of transit passage codified in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), Malaysia has balanced its maritime interests with a vocal critique of the broader geopolitical violence in the Middle East. How would a toll on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz work?