PUTRAJAYA, Feb 11 — Malaysia will continue to work closely and constructively with fellow Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) member states in the efforts to help Myanmar achieve a peaceful and sustainable solution to the situation in Myanmar.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir said it is pursuant to the need for full and effective implementation of the Five-Point Consensus (5PC), which was adopted by the Leaders of Asean in April 2021.
“In this respect, Malaysia supports the efforts being undertaken by Asean under the Chairmanship of Indonesia and through its Special Envoy as agreed to by Asean at its recent Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in Jakarta.
“In his keynote address to the Malaysia-Thailand Chamber of Commerce in Bangkok on Friday (Feb 10), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim put emphasis on building ‘a strong consensus in giving a strong message to the Myanmar regime’ to end discrimination, marginalisation, intimidation and violence against the people of Myanmar.
“This is in line with the principle that Malaysia stands for, and will continue to promote at home and abroad,” he said in a statement, today.
Elaborating further, by stating “we should carve Myanmar out for now”, Zambry pointed out that Anwar made a solid point for all member states to not allow the Myanmar issue to distract the regional bloc from continuing to pursue a much stronger collaboration in promoting peace, security and prosperity for Asean and its people as envisioned for the Asean Community.
Feb 1, 2023 marked two years since the military, led by army chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, seized control of Myanmar and the country has been in turmoil since then and a subsequent crackdown on dissent has sparked fighting across swathes of the country while seriously affecting the economy.
Myanmar’s military regime has announced an extension to its state of emergency for another six months, delaying elections the junta had pledged to hold by August, as it battles anti-coup fighters across the country. — Bernama
