KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has described as “unfortunate” the leaked phone call between Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and former Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen about the ongoing border dispute.
“It is unfortunate that there was this alleged leak of the conversation between Paetongtarn and Hun Sen.
“In my discussions with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and the Thai Prime Minister, both agreed that they would at least continue with this engagement and that was just before June 14,” said the Prime Minister during the 38th Asia-Pacific Roundtable in KL on Thursday (June 19).
Anwar said both Hun Manet and Paetongtarn have an understanding to ensure that the contentious areas along the borders are dealt with in a more “sober and restrained” manner.
“I think the interest is, of course, to try to cool down the tensions,” added Anwar.
Recently, an alleged leaked audio recording between Paetongtarn and Hun Sen had created ripples in the Thai government.
The leaked June 15 phone call shows Paetongtarn telling Hun Sen, whom she addressed as “uncle”, that she is under domestic pressure and urged him not to listen to the “opposite side”, which includes a prominent Thai military commander.
As a result, Thailand’s Bhumjaithai party, which is the second largest party in the Thai ruling coalition, announced its withdrawal from the government.
The party said it left the ruling coalition because of Paetongtarn’s leaked phone call with Hun Sen on the ongoing border dispute, in which she blamed the Thai military for “miscommunication”.
Paetongtarn is currently facing mounting calls to resign as prime minister after the leaked phone call had caused widespread public anger.
