Malaysia's PM Anwar says country will not allow any big power to dictate decisions

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Friday that the Southeast Asian nation will not allow any big power to dictate its decisions and future direction.

"As a free and independent nation, we will decide what is best for us," Mr Anwar was quoted as saying on the third day of his official visit to China.

We need to have good governance and policies that will benefit the country and the people, based on core values and principles. He added that we should also keep this position in the ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations because ASEAN was set up as a free and neutral zone. After his attendance at the Boao Forum for Asia BFA in Hainan, Anwar was responding to a question on the rivalry between China and the United States.

In 2001, the BFA aims to promote common development through regional economic integration.

On Malaysia's relationship with China, Mr Anwar said that Malaysia doesn't see China as a competitor or a threat, even if there are disagreements between the two countries.

Since there is no outright threat from China, we are happy to be a good neighbour, a friend and to benefit from their success, he said.

He said that Malaysia wants to build good relationships with all countries, including China and the US.

Malaysia is a claimant state along with several ASEAN member states like Brunei, the Philippines and Vietnam in the South China Sea. Other countries like the US and its allies have challenged China's territorial claims.