KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said there is no evidence to support the US’s claim that Malaysian service providers are aiding Iran in transporting its oil.
He said Malaysia disagrees with the US’s unilateral sanctions imposed on four Malaysian companies in December, saying that sanctions should only be determined by the United Nations.
“If they have evidence, of course, we have to stop (the companies) because we want to be part of the international community and accept the ground rules,” he said to Al Jazeera in an interview.
Anwar explained that the government has not announced any countermeasures against the US sanctions and that Malaysia is “continuing to engage with the Americans.
He said it is necessary to safeguard the rights of Malaysian companies, provided Malaysia adheres to international law and decisions made by the United Nations.
“(We are telling them) we have to defend the rights of our companies if they do not transgress international law or decisions by the United Nations.
“You can’t be deemed to be bullying smaller states, particularly a loyal friend, for a long time,” he said.
The four Malaysian companies sanctioned by the US Treasury in December were allegedly involved in supplying components for Iran’s weapons programme.
According to Top US Treasury official Brian Nelson, he said the US aims to prevent Malaysia from becoming a jurisdiction facilitating Hamas’s fundraising and money transfers.
Reuters news agency previously reported an increase in funds flowing through the Malaysian financial system to Iran and its proxies, including Hamas.
