KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s decision to foster ties with another foreign country is based on sincerity and respect, not the country’s wealth, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar said this is why the Foreign Ministry was tasked with finding ways to ensure that Timor-Leste became a full member of Asean this year.
“We may have poor and rich family members, but that does not mean we choose only the rich.
“(Similarly,) we make friends with a country not because it is rich, but because we respect the country and its people’s dignity.
“God-willing, we made history with Timor-Leste’s accession to Asean,” said Anwar during his exit press conference at the end of the 47th Asean Summit on Tuesday (Oct 28).
On Sunday (Oct 26), Timor-Leste officially became the 11th member of the Asean family with the signing of the admission declaration.
Meanwhile, Anwar said Asean has never wavered from its stance that Myanmar must implement the Five-Point Consensus (5PC).
Anwar said he met with Myanmar Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Bangkok, Thailand, and in Beijing, China, recently.
“This shows our readiness to have good relations, but without changing our stance,” he said.
The 5PC lays out a roadmap for peace and calls for an immediate cessation of violence, inclusive national dialogue, humanitarian assistance and peaceful resolution to the conflict.
However, its critics say it has been ineffective in stopping the civil unrest in Myanmar that has been ongoing since 2021.
On Sunday (Oct 26), a joint statement by Asean Foreign Ministers said Myanmar must implement the 5PC to address its political crisis and transnational crimes before holding an election in their country.
