By Yasmin Ramlan
KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called recent breakthroughs on Myanmar and Timor Leste “encouraging” signs of progress, following the conclusion of the 46th Asean Summit today.
Speaking at a press conference, Anwar highlighted significant progress on the Myanmar crisis, with engagements underway between conflicting parties.
He noted that both sides are now in consultation, focusing on a ceasefire, the delivery of humanitarian aid, and future dialogues aligned with Asean’s Five-Point Consensus.
“There is consensus to continue engagement. We have reached a stage where both parties are in consultation, although at a lower level, focusing first on a prolonged ceasefire, then on humanitarian aid, and eventually on resuming discussions guided by the Five-Point Consensus.
“To me, this is certainly not a departure, but a major step forward in terms of engaging (conflicting parties),” he said at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre here.
Myanmar has been embroiled in a civil war since a military coup in 2021.
Today, the Myanmar junta controls 21 per cent of the country’s territory, with the rest largely under the control of opposition groups, including rebel forces and ethnic armies.
On Timor Leste’s accession to Asean, Anwar said the bloc reached a consensus after years of talks that had been stalled by various conditions and the lack of genuine agreement.
“(The consensus today was built) on mutual understanding within Asean, to ensure decisions are not made at the expense of any member. We have to protect the interests of some 660 million people,” he said.
Timor Leste officially applied for Asean membership in 2011. The bloc agreed in principle to admit the country as an 11th member during the 40th and 41st Asean Summits in Phnom Penh in 2022, effectively granting it observer status, which allows its participation in Asean meetings.
Its full membership is set to be announced at the next Asean Summit in October.
