The docking of two United States Navy warships in Penang has drawn sharp criticism from both the opposition and a former PKR MP, who are pressing Putrajaya to explain how the move squares with Malaysia’s long-standing policy of neutrality and non-alignment.

In a statement today, Perikatan Nasional secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said that the presence of these assets in national waters raises the question of whether Malaysia is facilitating or is indirectly involved in military operations connected to conflicts between foreign powers...