KUALA LUMPUR: Future engagements on Myanmar must not only be proactive and comprehensive but also more pragmatic through Asean centrality, says Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
He said Asean leaders had deliberated if efforts could be bolder or more creative during a recent meeting in Cebu on Myanmar.
"This is why Asean should continue to engage all sides in Myanmar - the authorities in Naypyidaw, opposition political parties, ethnic armed groups and local NGOs.
"It cannot be overstated that the eventual political settlement must be a Myanmar-owned and Myanmar-led process, not one imposed externally.
"It will be a long process, and this where Asean centrality will be pivotal in fostering our collective determination to move forward," he said in his keynote address here on Thursday (July 2).
On the Thai-Cambodian situation, he said, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Prime Minister Hun Manet remain committed toward a lasting peace.
As such, he added the approach on the issue must be done with clarity and conviction - head on where possible and discretely where necessary while seeking to uphold a united front among Asean members, and to collaborate where possible with like-minded dialogue partners.
"Malaysia's future is invariably linked to that of Asean. This is why I believe that Asean centrality, the misgivings notwithstanding, must remain the cornerstone of our foreign policy and a primary platform through which we advance not just our interests but also regional peace, prosperity and stability," he said.
On June 25, Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan told the Dewan Rakyat that Malaysia has not recognised Myanmar's new government following its election.
However, he said Malaysia is keeping communication channels open to prevent a diplomatic vacuum that could invite external powers to interfere in Asean affairs.
He stressed that Malaysia's engagement with Myanmar did not amount to recognition of its new administration and remained firmly anchored to Asean's Five-Point Consensus, which continues to be the bloc's core framework for resolving the country's prolonged political crisis.
This is in reference to his visit to Naypyidaw in May, where he met Myanmar's foreign minister U Tin Maung Swe.
