DAVOS – Asean is progressing cautiously on Myanmar as it is critical to secure peace in the country, said Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said Asean’s approach is not about enforcing a particular system but ensuring inclusivity and peace as well as the importance of participatory democracy.
“The first positive indication in the last few months is the preparedness to engage, and I assure them through colleagues and our agencies, particularly intelligence agencies, (that) we are not here to impose.
“The system governance, even within Asean, is a bit different. Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Laos – they are quite different. As long as they are representative of some sort of participatory democracy, we are not imposing,” he said.
Anwar said this during an Asean Plenary entitled “Even Stronger Together”, on the priorities of the Asean-Malaysia Chairmanship 2025 and Asean’s important role in shaping the global economic landscape.
He said recent low-key engagements among influential intelligence authorities have shown promise, particularly in setting parameters to ensure inclusivity in resolving the crisis.
“The critical point is peace must be secured, and you must not be deemed to continue these discriminatory practices or even what was deemed to be violence, to be perpetrated against minorities or any groups.
“…delaying means suffering for many people, including refugees in Bangladesh and even in Malaysia where there are 200,000 refugees from Myanmar. It is totally atrocious to allow this to continue,” he said.
He said Myanmar’s authorities have been made aware of the need for Asean to take a strong position, as failures in governance have impacted peace and security in the region.
Anwar also said Asean remains committed to working with the international community, including the United Nations, to find a sustainable solution to the crisis in Myanmar.
“I am cautiously optimistic. Of course, we will coordinate with the UN on this, but Asean will continue to discuss this. We have agreed even to allow for countries, particularly Thailand, to engage on a different level, and we coordinate,” he said.
During the session, Anwar also emphasised the importance of maintaining peace and harmony in Asean through engagement and mutual respect, adding that Asean should not be forced into taking positions against any global power.
“We tend to engage and form a policy that will benefit one another because if you do not cater for that, then there will not be peace and tranquillity among neighbours as you have seen in the case of Myanmar.
“As a trading country, Malaysia, as a trading region (Asean), we take that position that we should continue to engage and attract American and European investors more aggressively,” he said.
He emphasised China’s importance as a neighbour and highlighted Malaysia’s ongoing engagement with countries such as Australia and India, saying this reflects Asean centrality, which allows the region to engage and navigate complex situations.
The prime minister further elaborated on the significance of connectivity, particularly in the digital realm, saying Asean is increasingly focusing on advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) to foster greater understanding and cooperation among its member states.
“Digital connectivity, including AI, is crucial, and the region is focusing on these issues for better understanding between countries. But again, the fundamentals remain economic,” Anwar remarked.
The session was moderated by World Economic Forum president Borge Brende.
The other panellists were Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, special envoy to the United Nations secretary-general on Myanmar Julie Bishop, Global Chair of Mastercard Michael Miebach and chief adviser of Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus. – January 23, 2025