KUALA LUMPUR, June 19 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged Asean members to boost their collective resolve in addressing the ongoing crisis in Myanmar.
Anwar emphasised that the regional bloc must move beyond statements and transactional, noting that it should be transformative.
He said that civil conflict in Myanmar continues to be one of the most pressing and unresolved challenges in the region.
“The path ahead is to close ranks and act in unison in facing these challenges so that they do not weaken Asean as a bloc.
“As Asean chair, Malaysia deems it a profound responsibility to mobilise every viable Asean mechanism and cooperate with all partners towards the de-escalation of violence, and further down the road, a Myanmar-led and Myanmar-owned peace process,” he said.
Anwar, who is also finance minister, made these remarks in his keynote address at the 38th Asia-Pacific Roundtable here today.
Also present were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar and Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia chairman Prof Datuk Mohd Faiz Abdullah.
Anwar described the recent earthquake in Myanmar as a stark reminder that natural disasters do not wait for stability when they strike.
“This is not just another humanitarian crisis; it is a moral test for all of us in the region,” he said.
Meanwhile, during the question-and-answer session at the same event, Anwar said it would be a disgrace if Asean failed to regard the Myanmar crisis as a shared responsibility.
“Of course, we welcome Europe, America, China and the rest… they can come in and help, but it is an Asean responsibility. It’s an immediate task of the neighbour,” he said.
Anwar added that the crisis in Myanmar is being passed on to other countries, with more than 200,000 stateless Rohingya people reported to have fled to Malaysia, Thailand and Bangladesh.
“We must speak up and take action. Is it easy? Certainly not, this is a conflict rooted in decades of enmity and hatred, but there is no viable solution except for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the divisions among us,” he said.
Anwar added that the situation in Myanmar was among the key issues discussed informally with Timor Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta during their meeting in Putrajaya yesterday.
— Bernama
