SEREMBAN: The Malaysian government is tirelessly working to repatriate its citizens who have fallen victim to job scams in Myanmar, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
To facilitate these efforts, the Foreign Minister said that the government has appointed former Foreign Ministry secretary-general Tan Sri Othman Hashim as its Special Envoy to Myanmar to negotiate with various groups in the country.
Mohamad said the discussions not only focus on efforts to bring home Malaysians trapped as scam victims, but also address ways to end violence against the local population.
"The situation in Myanmar is very challenging. Previously, we could negotiate, but now there are too many warlord factions controlling provinces, and they are armed with significant weaponry," he told reporters after opening the Tok Mat e-Sports Cup tournament in Senawang on Saturday (Dec 21).
He added that Myanmar has many problematic regions, each with its own strengths, which complicate the government's efforts to resolve these issues.
"Our approach is to negotiate with these factions to assess their ‘wish lists’, which will then be compiled and studied to determine how we can align these demands. What’s crucial is for Myanmar to return to being a peaceful country where its people can live harmoniously," he said.
Mohamad advised Malaysians to be wary of job offers with promises of high salaries advertised on social media, particularly in Myanmar and other Southeast Asian countries.
He expressed his gratitude for the strong ties within Asean, which consistently provides assistance despite the constraints some member states face.
"Thank you to neighbouring Asean countries for maintaining excellent relations. They help as much as they can, even though they sometimes face limitations and restrictions," he said.
Regarding the Asean Troika Informal Consultation and Extended Informal Consultation sessions in Bangkok on Friday (Dec 20), Mohamad said the discussions focused on addressing the issues in Myanmar, as the crisis there poses significant challenges for Asean.
"Thus, Asean is negotiating, and as Malaysia will chair Asean next year, we are preparing early strategies on how to reduce these internal issues because we do not want them to disrupt the stability of Southeast Asia," he said. – Bernama
