Ukraine Invasion: Lessons for Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR - The shocking events in Ukraine are a rude if effective reminder for smaller, non-aligned nations to learn from in considering the sustainability of their sovereignty.

Should Ukraine have taken more serious steps in securing the right partnerships, it might not today be the victim of the largest conflict in Europe since World War Two but instead it stands to remain a shattered and divided nation whatever the outcome of the war.

Troubled waters The South China Sea is widely considered a flashpoint as several competing and overlapping claims have been put forward regarding the area: Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Taiwan all seek their fair share of the area.

While none of these countries will conceivably go to war against one another over the claims, China’s intentions are less clear and more menacing with the country engaged in the building of militarised islands in the South China Sea and proclaiming its infamous nine-dash line with which it leaves nothing for the other claimants, including Malaysia.

Already China maintains a near constant presence in the area through its navy, coast guard and “maritime militia” to intimidate other claimants, routinely harass survey ships and violate the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of the other claimants including Malaysia.

Among the most blatant of these were 16 Chinese military aircraft, including several Xian Y-20 strategic transport planes that flew over the waters off Malaysia’s eastern state of Sarawak in June last year, forcing Malaysia to scramble fighter aircraft and lodge a diplomatic protest.

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative also noted recently that China “harasses Malaysian oil and gas vessels on a daily’ basis and the Chinese coast guard was aiming to control the Luconia Shoals, where Malaysia’s state-owned Petronas company has several oil and gas fields, and was harassing vessels involved in any new exploration or drilling operations”.

While all these are disturbing, nothing is as serious as the construction of militarised islands in the area with which China intends to stifle freedom of navigation, restrict freedom of action by Southeast Asian countries and to enforce its claims through military intimidation.

Strength In Unity Malaysia is clearly unable to fend off these aggressive actions on its own and what is needed is a regional grouping that will pool the resources of all the claimants to help us mutually fend off China’s actions in the South China Sea.

We can argue that if Ukraine had indeed been a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) it would not find itself in such a situation today. And by that same logic Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries risk being picked off one at a time should they fail to band together.

Can we trust China to settle the South China Sea issue peacefully and diplomatically when China is in fact engaged in multiple border disputes with most of its neighbours? While even the combined strength of Southeast Asia might not match China militarily, what a defensive alliance will do is demonstrate our resolve and legitimise our position - that we are all in it together for our common interests. Such an alliance will be able to draw on the support of the international community but we must be proactive in making the first move.

This will give real weight to the desire of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to empower ASEAN centrality, not just in dealing with China but for ensuring the rights and interests of regional countries when dealing with any other party, including collectively soliciting defensive support.

While Malaysia cannot revert to isolating itself as it is in fact a global trading nation, we must instead choose our economic partners carefully and make it clear that trade is trade and issues of sovereignty such as our claims in the South China Sea will not be held hostage by any undue pressure.

If China indeed would like to be seen as a good neighbour, it must back its words by respecting our maritime and aerospace boundaries, not violate them. Malaysia must be ready and prepared to respond dynamically by demonstrating that we are able to diversify our trade and economic interests.

Malaysia must make it clear that we will not be “bought out” nor will we “sell out” our country and we as the thinking public will make that clear to our leaders whose responsibility it is to ensure that Malaysia’s interests are not compromised over their personal interests.

H Rahman is a reader of Sinar Daily. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of Sinar Daily.