COMMENT | If Malaysia believes territorial integrity gives a country the right to use force against a territory that wants to separate, what would Putrajaya say if another sovereign state applied the same reasoning to Sabah or Sarawak?

Incredibly, during his interview with Al Jazeera, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim turned Malaysia's carefully balanced position on China and Taiwan into an unnecessary diplomatic headache.

Whilst Malaysia has every right to maintain its long-standing One China policy, there is a world of difference between recognising that policy and appearing to endorse China's right to use force to achieve reunification.

And that is where Anwar poked the hornet's nest.

Just imagine if another country declared that...