BOTH Thailand and Cambodia have expressed their desire for Malaysia to continue serving as a peace facilitator to help both nations achieve a lasting resolution to their ongoing border dispute, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
The Foreign Minister said this when denying claims that the country had failed in facilitating talks between Thailand and Cambodia with regard to their border dispute.
“We are no longer the Asean chair as the Philippines has taken over.
“Nonetheless, both nations continue to seek Malaysia’s role as a facilitator.
“So, I told my counterparts to write a letter to us with regard to this,” he said during Question Time in Parliament yesterday.
Mohamad was responding 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, with both countries agreeing to a ceasefire later that month.
In November, Cambodia and Thailand signed the KL Peace Accord during the Asean Summit, but it was soon broken following a landmine incident.
A new ceasefire was agreed upon on Dec 27.
Meanwhile, Mohamad said Asean did not send an observer team to monitor the phased elections in Myanmar because it did not recognise the polls conducted by the military junta.
“The elections must be participated in by all and not just a few. Malaysia’s and Asean’s stance is clear, and we did not send observers.
“Malaysia will not interfere, even though some countries have sent observers,” he added.
Myanmar held its first phase of polls on Dec 28, the second on Jan 11, and the third phase on Jan 25.
According to reports, nine countries sent observers for the first phase of Myanmar’s elections last year, with only two Asean nations involved, namely Vietnam and Cambodia.
Myanmar’s main pro-military party has since claimed an overwhelming victory in both the first and second phases of the country’s junta-run elections.
