PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will continue engaging Cambodia and Thailand to achieve a ceasefire in their ongoing border clashes, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said although both leaders have initially agreed to a ceasefire on Friday, fighting still persists along the border.
Anwar said he has told Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan to contact his Thai and Cambodian counterparts for talks.
“Maybe I will directly contact them to at least stop the shooting and continue the negotiations,” said Anwar, who added that during his initial call to the two leaders, they thanked him for facilitating talks.
“Even though they agreed to it, there are still shootings at the border,” said Anwar at a press conference after closing the 2025 Prime Ministers’ Cup Debate Competition here yesterday.
On Friday, he said Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to a ceasefire but requested for some time as their troops are already stationed at the border and needed time to withdraw.
Both countries have accused each other of starting the military clashes and have downgraded their diplomatic relations since Wednesday.
Proud moment: Anwar presenting the trophy to the English Language Category Debating Competition champion, Alam Shah Secondary School, in conjunction with the 50th Prime Minister’s Cup Debate Competition at Putrajaya International Convention Centre. Also present is Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek (third from left). — Bernama
Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have been escalating since May 28, following a deadly incident in the Preah Vihear area that claimed the life of a Cambodian soldier.
The two countries are at odds for decades over various undemarcated points along their 817km border.
On another matter, Anwar said MPs should foster a culture of respectful debates in Dewan Rakyat and avoid resorting to insults when they speak there.
He said leaders can have differing opinions but they must not hide behind religion to hurl insults.
“We can be firm in our ideas but we should not insult, curse or humiliate, what more using the Islam label for this purpose,” said Anwar during his closing remarks at the debate competition.
Anwar, who said he was impressed by the quality of debates during the competition, said participants, who are students from Forms Three to Five, had set a new benchmark.
“They were strict but were polite and did not insult. These qualities should be adopted by our MPs in Parliament,” quipped Anwar.
He added that he had a packed schedule after returning from Kedah on Friday night, and he is set to meet several Islamic scholars, including British musician Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens), at the Prime Minister’s official residence.
“But I said it is okay because I want to see our youths debating and I am very proud,” he added.
The current Parliament meeting, which began on July 21, will take place until Aug 28.
On Opposition chief whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan’s move to file a motion to refer him to the Rights and Privileges Committee for allegedly misleading the House on the Batu Puteh issue, Anwar said he “does not override the decision made by the Attorney General”.
Takiyuddin’s motion came after Anwar told Parliament on July 22 that the Cabinet decided not to pursue legal action against Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad over his role in the Batu Puteh case due to “his advanced age”.
The Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI), headed by former chief justice Tun Md Raus Sharif, had proposed in 2024 that a criminal probe to be initiated against Dr Mahathir for unilaterally withdrawing applications to review the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) 2008 decision on Batu Puteh.
“The RCI proposed a report against Dr Mahathir because he ( supposedly) betrayed the country.
“I don’t speak above the decision made by the Attorney General. Though it was a big treachery, we looked at the situation and decided against it,” said Anwar.
In 2008, the ICJ granted Middle Rocks to Malaysia and Batu Puteh to Singapore, while leaving the ownership of South Ledge to be determined based on the delimitation of territorial waters.
In 2018, the government led by Dr Mahathir decided to withdraw Malaysia’s application to review the 2008 ICJ decision.
