Old wounds rarely disappear on their own. Some heal with time. Others reopen whenever they are touched. The recent elections in Sabah, Johor and Negeri Sembilan suggest that many Malay voters continue to view politics through the lens of memory, dignity and respect—values that, in their eyes, have yet to be fully acknowledged.
In Part 1, we examined why the 2016 South China Sea arbitral award continues to raise legitimate legal questions. In Part 2, we shift the focus to a more fundamental issue: how Malaysia should advance its own interests in the South China Sea. From the historical legacy of the "Malayan Sea" to recent developments at Pulau Layang-Layang, Lawyer Nor Hisham Mohd Nor argues that Malaysia must articulate a distinctly Malaysian narrative rooted in sovereignty, history and national interest.