TANJONG MALIM: There is no legitimacy in the leak of classified information related to a Diplomatic Note from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing last February, according to Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin today.

Khaled, however, did not deny that there were overlapping claims between the two countries.

“There is no legitimacy in the leak (diplomatic) note, but we do not deny there are some overlapping claims,” he told reporters after attending the Defence Minister Executive Lecture with Reserve Officers Training Force (Palapes) cadet officers at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) here today.

Khaled said the Defence Ministry constantly monitor the development of issues between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea and did not refute having to be in full state of preparedness for any possible situation.

In a statement yesterday, the Foreign Ministry said they are conducting an internal investigation into this breach of classified information related to the Diplomatic Note and will file a police report to enable an investigation by the relevant authorities to be undertaken promptly.

The ministry said the note was published in an article by a Filipino media portal on Aug 29.