Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called for an engagement “with all relevant stakeholders” to find a solution to the ongoing crisis in Myanmar.
Anwar said it was one of the topics discussed during what he described as “a most productive meeting” of his informal advisory group in Brunei on Tuesday.
Anwar also posted on his Facebook pictures of his meeting with Thailand’s former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, who are among informal advisors of the Malaysian leader.
“We had very engaging discussions with His Majesty, the most senior ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] leader with a wealth of invaluable experience, across a wide spectrum of matters concerning ASEAN,” Anwar said in his post.
Anwar said the ongoing crisis in Myanmar was among the topics discussed.
“In Myanmar, the view was that while it remains bound by [ASEAN’s] Five-Point Consensus, no effort should be spared to continue the process of engagement with all relevant stakeholders,” he said.
He said the meeting discussed “how best to work towards a positive trajectory for a resolution of the Myanmar crisis and to keep our respective foreign ministers informed.”
He said the meeting also viewed with concern the rising tide of problems brought on by a thriving illicit economy dominated by the drug trade alongside human trafficking and widespread scam operations.
On the South China Sea disputes, Anwar said they concurred that there should be greater multilateral diplomatic progress with the aspiration that the Code of Conduct (CoC) negotiations should be concluded sooner rather than later.
“Substantive focus was given to how best to enhance intra-ASEAN trade and foster greater economic collaboration, including the imperative of a business-friendly and more effective regulatory framework,” Anwar said.
The meeting also discussed the importance of establishing the proper blockchain infrastructure and enabling digital accessibility as key prerequisites for healthy and progressive development for the region, he said.
This article first appeared in Thai PBS World.
