Langkawi, Jan 19 (IANS) Working toward restoring peace and stability in Myanmar remains a top priority for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said here on Sunday.
The implementation of the Five-Point Consensus on the situation in Myanmar provides a pathway to achieving an inclusive and durable peaceful resolution in Myanmar that will contribute to peace, security and stability in the region, Mohamad said at a press briefing following an ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting, Xinhua news agency reported.
“Therefore, we called on all parties to cease hostilities immediately, prioritize humanitarian access, and foster an environment for inclusive dialogue,” he said.
Mohamad said that the situation in Myanmar must be resolved within the ASEAN framework, stressing the importance of safeguarding the region’s interests collectively.
ASEAN centrality, unity and solidarity must be reinforced, he said.
As agreed upon during an ASEAN leaders’ meeting in 2021, the Five-Point Consensus was established to address a political crisis in Myanmar and promote regional peace and stability.
Malaysia and Myanmar the members of ASEAN and enjoy good relations. Although the relations became strained in late 2016 due to the Rohingya people issues, the relations remained stable after the meeting between both countries’ armed forces chiefs to play down the issues. Myanmar currently has an embassy in Kuala Lumpur, and Malaysia has an embassy in Yangon.
Due to the unstoppable human exodus from Myanmar until 2016 which also has since affected Malaysia, Prime Minister Najib Razak decided to join a rally at the Yanmar embassy with the protestors gathered in Titiwangsa Stadium of Kuala Lumpur. The event was organised by Malay Muslim groups, political parties as well non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on 4 December to urge Myanmar to stop what had been labelled by Malaysia as a “genocide to Muslims as well to its minority people” and calling the international community to put pressure into Myanmar.
The Malaysian prime minister mocked the Myanmar Nobel laureate winner Aung San Suu Kyi for her inaction over the issues, as well issuing a response via X in which he stated that “it was not my intention to interfere in Myanmar’s internal affairs but that the cruelty against Rohingya had gone too far”.
–IANS
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