Photo: Angkatan Tentera Malaysia Facebook
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Armed Forces has joined a diplomatic military delegation invited to observe the hotspot along the Cambodia-Thailand border which has been experiencing cross-border tensions.
In a social media post on Wednesday (July 30), the Armed Forces said the visit to the Anlong Veng-Phnom An Ma (Chong An Ma) zone, reflects Malaysia’s commitment to regional defence diplomacy and its active role in fostering confidence and transparency among Asean nations.
"The visit was also joined by representatives from several major world powers and other neighbouring countries, including the United States, China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar.
"According to Cambodian local media reports, the Cambodian government initiated the invitation of foreign military delegations as a show of openness and confidence in its position that no border violation has occurred,” the Armed Forces said.
It further stated that Cambodia had instead emphasised that all actions taken were to ensure the security of its own territory.
"The Chong An Ma zone has previously been a point of contention between Cambodia and Thailand, particularly during incidents involving the Preah Vihear Temple.
"In this context, Cambodia’s hosting of the observation visit is seen as part of an information warfare strategy and military diplomacy to shape a narrative favourable to them at the international level,” the Armed Forces added.
It also noted that, so far, Thai authorities have not issued any official response regarding the move, and like other invited nations, Malaysia has yet to release any public statement on the findings from the visit.
In a related development, Malaysia's Chief of Defence Forces General Tan Sri Mohd Nizam Jaffar is scheduled to make official visits to Thailand and Cambodia as part of regional diplomatic efforts.
"This visit follows the announcement of an immediate ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia, which was achieved through a Special Meeting organised by Malaysia with both neighbouring countries,” the Armed Forces added.
