Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein. (Photo: AFP/VNA) Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein on June 4 urged ASEAN claimants to the East Sea to first resolve their differences in regional maritime disputes.
ASEAN countries should get their own house in order first, he told reporters on the sidelines of the 15th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, adding that “it is important for small countries like us in ASEAN to ensure whatever we do, and whatever that is decided by the superpowers do not leave us on the beach when the tide goes down”.
On terrorism, Hishammuddin stressed for the need for a different strategy, “a more tailored approach that moves past outmoded forms of conventional warfare”, to dismantle the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq (ISIS) terrorist group.
The defence minister reiterated that ISIS has been threatening Asia Pacific and may worsen the instability in the region.
He called on countries in the region to make a more concerted effort to defeat the terrorist group.-VNA
