KUALA LUMPUR: Thailand and Cambodia want Malaysia to remain as peace facilitators to help the two countries reach a lasting solution to their ongoing border dispute, said Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
The Foreign Minister said it is untrue that Malaysia has failed in facilitating talks between Thailand and Cambodia along its disputed borders.
“We are no longer the Asean chairman as the Philippines has taken over, but both countries want Malaysia as a facilitator.
“So, I told my counterparts to write a letter to us,” he said this during Question Time in Parliament on Tuesday (Jan 20).
Mohamad was answering to Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee, who asked about Malaysia’s stand in the ongoing conflict in Myanmar as well as the Thailand-Cambodia border dispute.
In July last year, armed conflict erupted between Thailand and Cambodia over a border dispute. The two countries agreed to a ceasefire later that month.
During the Asean Summit in October, Cambodia and Thailand signed the KL Peace Accords. But, last November, the ceasefire broke down and eventually on Dec 27, a new ceasefire was agreed upon.
At the same time, Mohamad said Asean did not officially send an observer team to monitor the phased elections in Myanmar because it disagreed with the polls held by the military junta.
“The elections must be participated by all and not just a few. This is the Asean stand,” he said.
Mohamad also said Myanmar held its first phase of polls on Dec 28, the second on Jan 11 and the third phase on Jan 25.
“Malaysia’s and Asean’s stand is clear. We did not send an observer.
“Though some countries have sent their observers, but Malaysia will not interfere,” he said
According to reports, a total of nine countries sent observers for the first phase of Myanmar’s elections last year and only two Asean nations were involved - Vietnam and Cambodia.
Myanmar’s main pro-military party has claimed an overwhelming victory in the first and second phase of the country’s junta-run elections.
