06/01/2026

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Malaysian Paper

/thesundaily /

‘Maduro seizure normalises force on smaller states’

M’sia to speak for sovereign rights of all nations: PM PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia would continue to uphold and speak out for the sovereign rights of all nations, particularly those that were once colonised, in line with international law. He said Malaysia’s stance reflects its position as a developing nation that consistently respects the principles of international law and global order. Referring to his remarks on recent developments in Venezuela, Anwar said Malaysia, despite being a developing country, remains a free and sovereign nation guided by legal principles and international norms. “That is why we take a firm and consistent position, whether on Gaza or Venezuela. “From the very beginning, our leaders opposed apartheid in South Africa and fought for the independence of all formerly colonised nations,” he said in his 2026 New Year message at the Prime Minister’s Department monthly assembly on Sunday. Anwar described the detention of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in a United States military operation in Caracas as unprecedented in scope and nature, expressing concern over the situation and calling the action a violation of international law. He added that the use of force against a sovereign nation to remove its head of government through external intervention was unjustifiable. According to US President Donald Trump, US forces captured Maduro and his wife on Saturday and flew them to New York, where they are expected to face federal charges. Trump also announced that the US would administer Venezuela until a “safe, proper and judicious transition” is secured. – Bernama Warisan names by election candidates KINABATANGAN: Parti Warisan (Warisan) has announced former Sukau assemblyman Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman as its candidate for the Kinabatangan parliamentary by-election. The party also named Mazliwati Abd Malek, who contested the Kinabatangan parliamentary seat in the 15th general election, as its candidate for the Lamag state by-election. Warisan deputy president Datuk Darell Leiking, who announced both candidates at the Dewan Sri Lamag yesterday, said their selections had received the endorsement of the party’s Kinabatangan division. He added that the by-elections are a democratic process that must be carried out, and Warisan is offering candidates it deems suitable to bring change to the people of Kinabatangan and Lamag. The Kinabatangan parliamentary seat and the Lamag state seat were declared vacant following the death of their incumbent, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, who was also former Sabah Barisan Nasional chairman, on Dec 5, 2025. The Election Commission has set polling for both seats on Jan 24, with nomination day and early voting scheduled for Jan 10 and Jan 20, respectively. – Bernama

o Putrajaya relies on global norms, law to protect national interests: Experts

international law and multilateralism. “Malaysia has consistently rejected leadership change through external intervention, and maintains that a country’s future must be determined by its people. “By describing the action as a violation of international law, the prime minister is reaffirming Malaysia’s position that restraints on the use of force between states must be preserved.” He emphasised that issues of such magnitude should be addressed through legitimate international mechanisms rather than unilateral action by dominant powers. theSun also contacted Malaysia’s former ambassador to the US Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz. He declined to comment, saying his view “will not change the situation”. The seizure took place on Jan 3, when US forces carried out a military operation in Caracas, taking Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores into custody over criminal charges of narco-terrorism, drug-trafficking conspiracies and related corruption, claims that Venezuela has strongly denied. The operation has sparked widespread international condemnation and reignited debate at the United Nations over the legality of unilateral enforcement actions against a sitting head of state. Anwar described the seizure as a violation of international law and a dangerous precedent, underscoring that Venezuela’s political future should be determined by its citizens.

She emphasised that adherence to international law is vital for countries such as Malaysia, which cannot rely on military power for security. “The normalisation of coercive force to protect national interests creates vulnerability for smaller states, whose security and sovereignty depend on predictable legal frameworks rather than military or economic coercion.” Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia foreign policy expert Dr Aizat Khair said the risks for countries such as Malaysia are both practical and strategic, particularly if breaches of sovereignty became standard practice. “If operations of this nature are accepted as routine, smaller states become more exposed to extraterritorial actions justified on security, criminal or political grounds.” He said Malaysia relies heavily on the stability of international norms, from the law of the sea to international trade rules and multilateral institutions, to protect its national interests. “When these norms are weakened, the bargaining power of major states becomes more dominant,” he said, adding that such incidents could trigger retaliatory measures and wider regional instability, including economic sanctions, energy disruptions and supply-chain shocks. Aizat said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s remarks were consistent with Malaysia’s foreign-policy principles, which are grounded in sovereignty,

Ű BY FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: The seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by United States forces has been criticised by Malaysian experts as a blatant breach of international law that threatens the rules-based order on which smaller and middle powers depend. Universiti Teknologi Mara international relations specialist Dr Farhatul Mustamirrah Mahamad Aziz said the operation amounted to a direct violation of state sovereignty and territorial integrity, core principles underpinning international law. “Sovereignty signifies the equal standing of every nation state, and no one nation has the right to intervene in the internal affairs of another,” she told theSun yesterday. She added that such actions reflect a selective application of international law in which compliance is influenced more by geopolitical clout than legal obligation. “From Malaysia’s perspective, these actions undermine trust in global governance mechanisms that smaller and middle powers rely on to safeguard their interests.” ‘Six learning areas for preschool curriculum’ KUALA LUMPUR: Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the new preschool curriculum introduced at the start of the current school session will focus on six key learning areas to support holistic early childhood development. She said the six areas are socio-emotional development; physical development and personal wellbeing; language and literacy; spirituality, values and citizenship; creativity and aesthetics; and cognitive development. Fadhlina added that the socio-emotional domain emphasises nurturing the ability of children to recognise and manage their emotions as well as build positive relationships with others and their surroundings. “For physical development and personal wellbeing, the focus is on health awareness, including healthy nutrition, hygiene and safety. Reproductive and social health education is also incorporated.” She also said the language and literacy component aims to strengthen communication skills, with children learning basic literacy and language skills while cultivating an interest in reading. Fadhlina said the spirituality, values and citizenship domain is divided into three components: Islamic education, moral education and citizenship education. “In Islamic education, Muslim children will be taught basic religious knowledge, values and practices in daily life, including the fundamentals of Jawi writing.” She added that moral education focuses on instilling core values such as compassion, honesty, respect and diligence through fun and engaging approaches. She also said citizenship education seeks to foster awareness of rights and responsibilities,

Fadhlina expressed hope that the new curriculum would help produce well-rounded, balanced and globally competitive learners from an early age. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN

cultivate patriotism and encourage children to contribute to the well-being of their families and communities. She said in the creativity and aesthetics domain, children are given opportunities to explore and appreciate their environment, while developing imagination and creativity through visual arts, music, movement and drama.

“The cognitive domain encourages curiosity and exploration, with children guided to think systematically, interact, share information and solve problems.” Fadhlina expressed hope that the new curriculum would help produce well-rounded, balanced and globally competitive learners from an early age. – Bernama