KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was "careless” in his remarks on the possibility of Malaysia being open to negotiations if there are overlapping claims by China on areas explored by national oil giant Petronas, former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today.

Muhyiddin, who is also chairman of the opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional, said Malaysia must defend its sovereignty even if China is making any claims on the country’s territories.

Muhyiddin claimed that Anwar’s parliamentary remarks on Tuesday in the Dewan Rakyat had the implication of indirectly acknowledging China’s claim on areas that are legitimately Malaysia’s territory and which Malaysia must defend.

"In reality, the Petronas exploration area referred to by the prime minister is in Malaysia’s territory and cannot be negotiated even if claimed by China,” Muhyiddin said in a statement today.

"Malaysia must be firm in defending the sovereignty of its territory and the country’s security to protect the country’s territorial rights and claims,” he said.

Muhyiddin claimed that Anwar’s remarks indicating Malaysia’s openness to negotiate on its territorial rights risks threatening the country’s sovereignty, also alleging that the remarks were weak and irresponsible and appeared to be pawning away the country’s sovereignty to foreign powers.

On April 4, Anwar was reported saying that he had told China that Petronas’s exploration of an area — which is also claimed by China — is viewed by Malaysia to be Malaysian territory and that Petronas would continue its activity there, but said Malaysia is open for negotiations if China feels that area is their right.

Muhyiddin also criticised Anwar’s parliamentary remarks on April 4 where the latter had said China had explained its ships’ presence as allegedly being in international waters and that the Foreign Ministry will continue to monitor and issue objections if there are any breaches.

Muhyiddin said, however, that Anwar should also have defended Malaysia’s sovereignty on this matter.

"In the matter of the presence of China’s naval ships in the waters also claimed by seven countries including Malaysia, but is alleged by China to be international waters, the prime minister should be firm to defend the country’s territorial sovereignty as enshrined in Malaysia’s 1979 map,” he said.

Muhyiddin said the disputed area in the South China Sea has yet to be decided on, and the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) has also yet to achieve a consensus about overlapping claims in the South China Sea.

Muhyiddin said Asean had rejected recognising the Nine Dash Line which is being claimed by China, including in Malaysia’s territorial waters.

He said any discussions on overlapping territorial claims must be done in line with the Asean Consensus and the South China Sea Code of Conduct.

"While Malaysia recognises China as a global economic power, our country’s sovereignty cannot be compromised at all,” he said.

He said Malaysia must be more cautious in handling international maritime issues in line with the principle of national sovereignty and the Asean group of nations.