NEW YORK: Asean must continue its efforts to restore credibility to the Five-Point Consensus while cultivating security and stability in Myanmar.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said Asean is deeply disappointed that agreed ceasefires in Myanmar have been broken in some areas, and that violence continues to endanger civilians.
“Those in power have a responsibility to remember that Myanmar is part of a region, not an isolated country.
“There is a bright and safe future for all our peoples if we work together in good faith towards a Myanmar-owned and Myanmar-led resolution to the crisis in the country,” he said at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly here on Saturday.
According to Mohamad, Asean will continue to play an important role as a regional bloc in ensuring peace, strengthening security, enhancing economic resilience, and advancing sustainability goals across the region.
As Asean Chair, Mohamad noted that Malaysia has also learnt about the colossal efforts peace requires, Bernama reported.
“When conflict threatened to spiral between our neighbours, Asean did not stand idle. We stepped in, convened both sides in Malaysia, and implemented a ceasefire – one that Asean is now ensuring takes root through active monitoring on the ground.
“Yes, challenges remain. But our message is clear: Asean will stay at the table, urging both states to honour their commitments. For there is no conflict, whether interstate or intrastate, worth risking the stability of our home,” he said.
Mohamad said it has been Malaysia’s honour – as well as its greatest task to date – to take on South-East Asia’s challenges this year.
He said the regional bloc, comprising 10 member states, has embraced change, expanded its membership, and actively engaged with the world over the past 58 years, while remaining committed to addressing not only its internal challenges but also those emerging beyond the region.
Mohamad stressed that the South China Sea must not be used as leverage in strategic competition.
“Never again can South-East Asia and its waters become a theatre for rivalry between the superpowers. We therefore urge all parties to fully comply with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and to avoid actions that could provoke miscalculation or conflict in the waters we share,” he said.
In his address, Mohamad also emphasised that Malaysia will continue to champion the rights and needs of the Global South.
He said the Global South has long borne the brunt of unequal economic policies that marginalise developing nations and prevent them from participating fairly in the global economy.
It also faces a staggering financing gap for sustainable development, despite being home to the world’s most vulnerable populations, he added.
“The irony is painful. We constitute the world’s majority, yet remain under-represented in decision-making, under-served in development financing, and sidelined in global governance. These imbalances must be corrected. The voices, needs and aspirations of the Global South are not secondary,” he said.
Mohamad said a fairer international order cannot be built without placing the Global South at its centre, adding that Malaysia will continue to advocate dignity, equity and opportunity for all developing nations.
