JAKARTA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim emphasized that Malaysia takes the Myanmar crisis seriously, as it is causing hardships and difficulties for both countries. Anwar expressed his disappointment with the slow progress on the issue, despite Indonesia’s significant efforts as the current chair of ASEAN.
“At the moment, I do not see an immediate resolution to the conflict,” said Anwar. He acknowledged that while atrocities have been committed, they may not solely be attributed to the military junta, although they bear a significant responsibility. Anwar stressed that Malaysia cannot consider the situation as ordinary due to the immense difficulties and hardships it has caused in the country.
During the retreat programme at the 43rd ASEAN Summit and Related Summit on Tuesday (Sept 5), Anwar revealed that the number of refugees from Myanmar in Malaysia has exceeded 200,000, marking an increase from previous months. The ongoing political crisis in Myanmar and the disputes in the South China Sea are expected to dominate discussions at the summit.
Anwar expressed his disappointment with Myanmar’s lack of cooperation in addressing the refugee situation. He noted that Myanmar is refusing to engage and accept these individuals back, even though many of them are innocent victims.
Anwar stated that it would not be a problem if any ASEAN member country decided to engage with Myanmar unilaterally, as long as they fully adhere to the five-point consensus agreed upon within the group. He also mentioned that Thailand’s outgoing military-led government has chosen to break ranks with the bloc by holding separate meetings with Myanmar’s generals.
Regarding Indo-Pacific matters, Anwar highlighted the positive engagement of more countries with ASEAN. He expressed hope that this engagement would focus on trade, investment, and collaboration. Anwar stressed the importance of respecting ASEAN’s sense of neutrality and not forcing the organization to take positions beyond its scope and parameters.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
