Thailand, Cambodia want Malaysia as peace facilitator

The Malaysian Foreign Minister said it is untrue that Malaysia has failed in facilitating talks between Thailand and Cambodia along their 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 during Question Time in Parliament on Tuesday (January 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 in 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, 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 phases of the country’s junta-run elections.

Tarrence Tan 

Gerard Gimino

The Star

Asia News Network