Wisma Putra votes to free detainees and end violence in Myanmar

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia fully supported and voted in favour of the United Nations’ resolution which called for an end to the violence and release of political detainees in Myanmar, said Wisma Putra.

In a statement, Wisma Putra said that it voted “Yes” in New York on Friday as Malaysia is all for a continued constructive engagement to solving the problems in Myanmar.

“Malaysia welcomes the adoption of the UN General Assembly resolution on the situation in Myanmar on June 18.

“Malaysia supported and voted in favour of the resolution in line with our position for continued constructive engagement in contributing to a peaceful resolution and the return to normalcy in Myanmar.

“The resolution, which received 119 affirmative votes, one against and 36 abstentions, calls for the end of violence as well as the prompt release of detained political leaders, which is vital for conducive and inclusive national dialogue and reconciliation.

“More importantly, the resolution calls for the swift implementation of the Five-Point Consensus reached at the Asean Leaders’ Meeting on April 24 and the urgent need for cooperation between all stakeholders in Myanmar with the Special Envoy of the Asean Chair to Myanmar and Asean as a whole,” said Wisma Putra.

At the General Assembly on Friday, Wisma Putra stated that Malaysia emphasised the need for the resolution to push for an immediate end to the violence.

“Malaysia remains resolute and stands ready to engage constructively and galvanise efforts with the international community towards resolving the situation in Myanmar,” it added.

The military in Myanmar seized power on Feb 1.

Meanwhile, during his speech in Turkey, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein addressed geopolitical balance.

Speaking at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on the South China Sea, yesterday, he said many viewed the issue purely based on “lines and dots that intersect and diverge on a map”.

“In the world of international relations, all elements need to be analysed through a geopolitical lens – taking into account power geography and diversity.

“Geopolitical balance in our region, especially between the United States and China, is dynamic and no country remains unaffected,” he said in his address.

He noted that Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also mentioned that there was a constant shift in the balance of power.

“This is incredibly relatable to us in South-East Asia,” added Hishammuddin.

He said all countries are interdependent and need to bring resources and comparative advantages of multiple nations together to resolve complex problems.