Kuala Lampur, April 9 -- The unfolding crisis in West Asia has placed two maritime arteries-the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Malacca-at the very centre of global strategic anxiety. 

These waterways are not merely geographic features; they are lifelines of the global economy. 

When disrupted, they transmit shockwaves across energy markets, supply chains, and political systems with alarming speed.

Singapore's Foreign Minister, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, has articulated a principled stance rooted in international law. He is right. 

By insisting that freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz must not be subject to negotiation, he reaffirms the sanctity of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCL...