Malaysia urges strong action on Myanmar at ASEAN meeting
Malaysia has called for robust actions against Myanmar's military leaders, citing the persistent barriers that have hindered the implementation of a peace restoration plan, more than two years after the military's coup.
Malaysia's forthright stance emerged as members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) gathered in Jakarta for their annual summit. The meeting underscored rising tensions over Myanmar and the ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea, which have strained the unity of the 10-member alliance.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir, speaking to reporters following discussions among the foreign ministers in the Indonesian capital, conveyed the collective sentiment: "Malaysia and other member nations have voiced their conviction that we cannot allow this situation to persist without imposing robust and effective measures on the military junta."
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the orchestrator of the February 2021 coup that ousted Myanmar's elected government under Aung San Suu Kyi, had consented to a five-point consensus aimed at resolving the crisis in Myanmar during a special ASEAN summit held two months later.
Regrettably, the military regime has displayed minimal commitment to implementing this consensus, and the level of violence has continued to escalate. The military finds itself engaged in confrontations with armed civilian groups that oppose its seizure of power, all while facing allegations of war crimes for its indiscriminate attacks on civilian populations.
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