SHAH ALAM, April 8 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today that the federal government has not compromised on state oil and gas firm Petronas’ exploration works in the waters of South China Sea.

Following backlash from Perikatan Nasional’s Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the prime minister said Beijing acknowledges the overlapping claims between the two countries but has not blocked Petronas from undertaking its work.

"He didn’t listen to my statement. I said that we will continue with Petronas’ exploration work. Period. There was absolutely no talk of compromise,” he told reporters, referring to Muhyiddin.

"I have conveyed the matter to China’s leaders which he didn’t do previously. China said it is overlapping but they are not stopping us from our work,” he added after officiating the Kita Untuk Kita programme by Think City here.

Anwar once again stressed that there was no compromise, and the exploration works by Petronas are carried out in Malaysian waters.

"This is the problem with the Opposition, and the Opposition leader, they are not focused and they don’t come to Parliament and do not listen to our views, read statements and my comments, which has been consistent that the Petronas exploration works will continue.

"It’s our area. But because China said no as it is overlapping with their area, so I said okay, let's have a discussion [on the matter], but if [they] don’t want a discussion it means war,” he said, referring to Beijing.

On Tuesday, the prime minister assured the Parliament that Petronas would be allowed to continue with its oil and gas operations in the South China Sea despite overlapping claims by China.

Anwar had then said he has raised the matter with China’s Premier Li Qiang and President Xi Jinping as Malaysia considers it as its territory.

He was then responding to a question by Perikatan Nasional chief whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan who asked if the former managed to raise the matter with China’s leaders during the visit to the republic.