Malaysian PM says ASEAN nations will monitor Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire
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CNA
9 hours ago
- CNA
Japan marks 80th anniversary of Hiroshima, Nagasaki bombings
Japan marks two of the darkest days in its history this week. The US dropped atomic bombs on two Japanese cities eight decades ago, killing more than 300,000 people. The 80th anniversary of the attacks comes amid renewed concern about nuclear weapons and red lines in warfare. CNA's Genevieve Woo has more.
CNA
14 hours ago
- CNA
Malaysia will ‘protect every inch of Sabah' in maritime dispute with Indonesia, says PM Anwar
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will defend Sabah's rights and sovereignty in its discussions with Indonesia over a disputed oil-rich area in the Sulawesi Sea, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said during a visit to Kota Kinabalu. 'We will negotiate it properly, without surrendering. This was all in the meeting, not just under-the-table talk,' he said as quoted by the Malay Mail on Sunday (Aug 3), referring to discussions during the 13th annual consultation between both countries that was held on Jul 29. 'We will protect every inch of Sabah. I will defend this principle. I chose to answer this now because we are defending Sabah on behalf of the federal government,' Anwar added. Malaysia and Indonesia have overlapping claims over sea blocks ND6 and ND7, which Putrajaya calls the Sulawesi Sea and Jakarta calls Ambalat. When Anwar and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto met in Jakarta on Jun 27 to prepare for the annual consultation, they agreed to jointly develop the area. Hopes were raised that the two countries would be able to find a way forward to resolve the long-standing bilateral issues, with more details of the joint development potentially emerging from the leaders' meeting a month later. However, when members of parliament from Sabah, the Malaysian state closest to the disputed area, questioned Anwar in parliament on Jul 22, the prime minister stressed that no final agreement had been reached, as discussions were still ongoing. Still, analysts told CNA that the prospect of a Malaysia-Indonesia joint development remains on the table pending further negotiations, despite Sabah's questions and how this option was not mentioned in the annual consultation joint statement that was released on Jul 29. In the statement, the leaders welcomed 'continued progress' in the negotiations on maritime boundary delimitation, and reiterated the importance of the relevant agencies 'maintaining constructive engagement and close coordination'. Speaking after the leaders met, Indonesia Foreign Minister Sugiono said the two countries are still at the stage of explanatory talks on Ambalat. "Technically, it's still a long way to go," he said, adding that technicalities will be discussed by the relevant ministries. Analyst Adib Zalkapli of the geopolitical consultancy Viewfinder Global Affairs said the two countries could have chosen not to mention developing Ambalat together in the joint statement due to ongoing discussions. 'One possibility is because both sides are still negotiating the technical aspects of the agreement that any public statement by the leaders would be counterproductive,' he told CNA. 'In negotiating border issues or joint development in disputed areas, the biggest challenges are the technical details and the commercial arrangements, not so much domestic politics.' Anwar said on Sunday that Malaysia's discussions with Indonesia on the Ambalat dispute are a sign of good friendship. 'This is a border issue between two countries, and Indonesia is an ally. President Prabowo is my personal friend, a family friend. I want it to be a good relationship,' he said. 'We talked about Sulawesi, and I wanted Hajiji to hear for himself, and give his view. We will discuss perimeters, following maritime laws, following history. It must be approved by the state government and subsequently the state legislative assembly.' SABAH'S INVOLVEMENT Anwar was referring to Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor, who also attended the annual consultation in Indonesia alongside other Sabah government agencies. However, Hajiji said on Jul 30 that the Ambalat issue was not discussed in detail during the visit, as reported by Malaysiakini. 'We have already stated the state government's stance and that meeting's discussion was very positive,' he told reporters. 'So, the related matters are still being refined, and it's very good for the state of Sabah. That's all I can say for now.' Malaysia's Deputy Foreign Minister Mohamad Alamin told parliament on the same day that the Ambalat dispute was raised at the consultation in general terms, and that the federal government took Sabah's interests in the matter seriously. 'In this matter, the federal government constantly conducts detailed and comprehensive assessments on any resolution, including economic cooperation, in finding a decision that mutually benefits both sides,' he said. Geostrategist Azmi Hassan from the Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research told CNA the countries are maintaining 'status quo' on Ambalat as they thrash out a deal. 'Similar to the South China Sea (maritime dispute between Malaysia and China), status quo is the key word here. And during the status quo, technical negotiations can continue,' he said. 'If it cannot be resolved in terms of boundary delineation, then at least, I think a joint venture will be accorded between Petronas and Pertamina in this case,' Azmi added, referring to the national oil companies of Malaysia and Indonesia. 'Because we know there is a huge abundance of oil reserves there, and not doing anything there will be a negative economic impact for Malaysia and Indonesia.' The Sulawesi Sea dispute has been difficult to resolve as it involves overlapping claims of both maritime boundaries and the sovereignty of two island features, Pulau Sipadan and Pulau Ligitan. In 2002, the International Court of Justice awarded the two islands to Malaysia, but did not settle the overlapping maritime boundaries. The area has experienced periodic flashpoints over the years as the two countries have attempted to resolve the dispute. In 2004, Petronas awarded a concession to Shell to explore the area, sparking protests from Indonesia, which had granted similar rights to Italian energy company Eni, according to Malaysian news outlet The Star. In 2009, Indonesia protested Malaysia's military presence in the area, and the following year, Indonesian navy vessels purportedly came close to opening fire on a Malaysian navy patrol ship for ignoring orders to leave. While Azmi noted that the dispute has been 'dragging' on for a long time with past leaders unable to resolve it, he believes Anwar's 'very close relationship' with Prabowo will 'make things easier'. 'When Anwar mentioned that there will be a joint development (of Ambalat) with Indonesia, I think it was not finalised. I think on the part of Malaysia, maybe it was premature or just to test the scenario first,' he said. Adib from Viewfinder Global Affairs acknowledged that when top leaders meet, the general expectation is that major issues have been resolved or their countries have reached a concrete agreement on such issues. 'However, it is not uncommon for such meetings to take place even with unresolved matters still in the background. If this was the case, then the recent meeting should help in getting Indonesia and Malaysia to the finishing line,' he added. 'When the financial gains for both countries are clear, negotiations are likely to conclude quickly.'
CNA
14 hours ago
- CNA
Anwar vows transparent probe into death of 13-year-old Sabah student amid bullying claims
KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has pledged that no individual, regardless of rank or political ties, will be protected from investigations into the death of a 13-year-old student in Sabah. Zara Qairina Mahathir, a Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Datu Mustapha student, was found unconscious at about 4am on Jul 16. She is believed to have fallen from the third floor of her school dormitory in Papar in the East Malaysian state, and was pronounced dead at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital the following day. Her death has sparked social media allegations of bullying by the child of an influential figure and garnered national attention for weeks through the hashtag #JusticeforZara. Though Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said last Saturday (Aug 2) the police had completed their probe, Zara's mother said she filed another police report on Sunday after recalling seeing bruises on her daughter's back while preparing her body for burial, Malaysian media reported. Her legal team said this warrants a fresh investigation into the case, despite Anwar confirming that the full investigation report had been submitted to the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC). Anwar said on Sunday investigations into Zara's death must be conducted swiftly and transparently, and urged the public not to speculate or make accusations against high-profile figures without evidence. 'This is a nation of law, not slander. Whoever is involved in a criminal act such as murder will not be protected,' Anwar was quoted as saying by state news agency Bernama. 'Regardless of whether they are Datuk Seri or Tan Sri, we will investigate if there is proof … Do not throw baseless accusations just because they are the child of a minister or a relative of a deputy prime minister or deputy chief minister,' he added during his speech at the closing ceremony of the National Farmers, Breeders and Fishermen Day 2025 in Sabah, as quoted by Malay Mail. Zara's mother, Noraidah Lamat, has denied making allegations linking her daughter's death to prominent individuals, according to a statement on Saturday by her lawyers. 'Noraidah has never mentioned any high-profile individual in relation to Zara's death. Any such assumptions or allegations are baseless and did not come from her,' said her lawyers Hamid Ismail and Shahlan Jufri, as reported by Berita Harian. Noraidah's lawyers also denied their client made claims about what was said to a student on the day of the incident, and that three students had been transferred out of the school. The lawyers said Noraidah only learned of claims – including of a student being shouted at with the words 'you're a murderer' – after they began circulating on social media. Papar police chief superintendent Kamaruddin Ambo Sakka said last Saturday his team had found no evidence suggesting children of prominent individuals, including ministers' families or those associated with Borneo state's palace, were involved. The palace had denied the allegations last Thursday, refuting social media rumours linking the case to the family of Sabah Governor Musa Aman, Malay Mail reported. Anwar on Sunday said he had contacted Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohd Khalid Ismail and Home Minister Saifuddin to ensure the probe was carried out thoroughly and without interference, reported Malay Mail. 'The IGP informed me that 60 individuals have already been called to give their statements,' Anwar was quoted as saying. NO POST MORTEM CARRIED OUT BEFORE BURIAL, SAY LAWYERS But in another statement on Sunday, Noraidah's legal team claimed that the investigation papers submitted to the AGC on her death are 'incomplete' as the clothing and personal items that Zara wore when she was found unconscious on Jul 16 were never collected or requested. 'We are deeply shocked by this as in our experience handling criminal trials in court, it is standard procedure for police to seize all items worn by a victim suspected of having died as a result of any criminal act for the purpose of investigation,' said the lawyers Hamid and Shahlan, as quoted by media outlet New Straits Times. According to them, all of Zara's clothes and belongings were handed to Noraidah by the hospital staff on Jul 16 and are currently in the custody of a representative of a non-governmental organisation appointed to assist the family. 'These clothes and personal items are crucial pieces of evidence that should have been forensically examined and analysed to determine whether Zara's death involved any criminal elements,' the lawyers claimed. They added that the police's failure to do so raises serious concerns as to whether the investigation has been limited solely to the theories of sudden death or suicide despite multiple police reports lodged by Zara's mother requesting possible criminal elements be examined. 'We sincerely hope (PM Anwar) will advise the Attorney-General to return the investigation file to the police and support our call for a post-mortem and an inquest to be carried out as soon as possible in order to determine the actual cause of Zara's death, and whether any criminal elements were involved,' Hamid and Shahlan said. On Jul 30, Zara's family reportedly lodged another police report requesting for her body to be exhumed to determine whether there was any criminal element, following the mother's recorded telephone conversation with Zara in which she revealed that several senior students had repeatedly harassed or bullied her. 'One such student … had threatened Zara by saying, 'If I touch you, you'll bleed',' the lawyers previously said. In the same police report, her mother had expressed doubt over the alleged cause of Zara's death that she had fallen from the third floor of a building. 'Zara's body showed no signs of physical trauma, bruises, or injuries typically associated with a fall from such a height,' the lawyers earlier said on Jul 30, as quoted by the New Straits Times. 'No post-mortem was carried out before Zara was buried," they said. According to them, Noraidah believes Zara did not take her own life. According to Sabah police commissioner Jauteh Dikun, the police have received four reports related to the case, including the latest report lodged by Zara's mother on Sunday, Malay Mail reported. They reiterated their call on Sunday for her body to be exhumed immediately and a post-mortem to be conducted. On the bruises that Noraidah now recalls seeing on her daughter's body, they said: 'Our client did not include this important information in her earlier police reports because she had completely forgotten about it … she had been overcome with grief since Jul 16 following what happened to her daughter.'
