KUALA LUMPUR: The Defence Ministry is awaiting the results of an internal investigation by the Foreign Ministry regarding the recent information leak on a diplomatic note from China.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the ministry requires confirmation regarding the status of the diplomatic note to avoid unwanted situations.

"We are waiting (for the Foreign Ministry)... we need confirmation, and I believe our (action) would depend on Foreign Ministry," he was quoted as saying.

"That's all I can say for now; otherwise, we may end up reacting to something that isn't there," he said during a press conference after attending the "Minggu Bersama Pencarum: Jelajah Selatan 2024" programme at Dewan Mahkota, Kem Mahkota Kluang, here today.

He was responding to the issue of leaked diplomatic note from China's Foreign Ministry addressed to the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing.

The Foreign Ministry had said it was conducting an internal investigation and will lodge a police report on the leaked document.

The diplomatic note, dated Feb 18, was published in an article by a Philippine media portal on Aug 29.

The article reported that Beijing had demanded Malaysia immediately cease all oil and gas exploration activities near Sarawak due to overlapping claims in the South China Sea.

Meanwhile, Khaled said that cooperation between Asean countries and other nations was crucial to maintaining peace and stability in the region, especially in the South China Sea.

"Asean is a key contributor to peace and stability in this region; with the cooperation of the 10 member countries, we can help contribute to the stability of this region," he said.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/09/1102345/diplomatic-note-leak-defence-ministry-awaits-investigation-findings