KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 9 — Former defence deputy minister Liew Chin Tong has highlighted today the lack of local media coverage of China’s State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe’s visit to Malaysia on Monday.
The senator said the issue was puzzling, and urged Putrajaya not to take sides in the dispute between the United States and China amid rising tensions on the South China Sea.
“I too have no idea why there was no media coverage on the visit. It’s a big and important event.
“China and the US are two great powers who have importance in the region so I really can’t tell you why local media were not given coverage and you guys had to find out from your sources in China,” Liew said during a press conference today in Parliament.
Chinese state media Xinhua reported on Monday that Wei called on Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to strengthen defense cooperation between the two countries.
Muhyiddin was also quoted saying that Malaysia is willing to work with China to strengthen bilateral cooperation in all fields including defence, economy and trade, and education.
The event was not covered by Malaysian state news agency Bernama and state broadcaster RTM.
After visiting Malaysia, on Tuesday Wei met his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta and is expected to do the same in Brunei and the Philippines.
Liew said during this “strategic competition” between the two superpowers, Malaysia should stay neutral but make its voice and opinions heard.
“Our country is in a crisis region where anything can happen anytime especially in the South China Sea where the US and China are in strategic competition,” he said.
“A crisis in South-east Asia needs Malaysia to be a leading voice and not to take sides. The main thing we must tell these two countries is that Asean nations do not want to choose between the two.
“We need them both but we will not pick a side,” added Liew.
