Diplomacy and the honest broker

Working towards peace: Anwar (centre) with Mohamad (left) at the ceasefire meeting. The groundwork for that had already been laid by a closed door gathering among foreign ministers last month arranged by Mohamad. — IZZUDIN ABD RAZAK/Prime Minister’s Office

IT was a triumphant moment for Malaysia on Monday after a ceasefire deal between Cambodia and Thailand was reached.

Accolades came from all over the world as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the deal before clasping the hands of his Cambodian and Thai counterparts in front of the world’s press and on live TV.