‘Malaysia won’t be lectured’: Singapore’s refusal to negotiate over Hormuz creates waves

Singapore’s position against negotiating with Iran over access to the Strait of Hormuz has triggered backlash from Malaysian politicians, who saw its statements as “lecturing” them on how best to approach gaining safe passage through the vital waterway.

For the past month, Tehran had all but shut access to the strait – which handles about a fifth of global oil and gas shipments, bound mostly for Asia – in retaliation to deadly strikes by the US and Israel since they launched a war on Iran on February 28.

Malaysia was among a handful of “friendly” nations that were granted toll-free passage by Iran last week, a decision Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had credited to active diplomacy and close ties with the Islamic Republic.

Leaders in Anwar’s ruling coalition, however, took exception to Singapore’s reasoning behind its refusal to negotiate with Tehran on Hormuz, saying it risked eroding the commitment to “independent, balanced diplomacy” that has long been an Asean cornerstone.

“Malaysia will not be lectured on the merits of engagement,” Nurul Izzah Anwar, the prime minister’s daughter and deputy president of his People’s Justice Party, said in a statement late on Wednesday.