Malaysia’s foreign minister says new Myanmar leadership ‘more open’ to suggestions

KUALA LUMPUR: Myanmar’s newly appointed government appeared “more open” to suggestions compared to the previous regime, Malaysia’s foreign minister Mohamad Hasan said on Thursday, as countries in Southeast Asia continued efforts to engage with the war-torn nation’s military-backed administration.

Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing took office as president and appointed a new Cabinet in April, after a pro-military party swept to victory in an election that was designed to show Myanmar was returning to civilian rule but was widely dismissed as a sham by critics and Western governments.

Mohamad told Malaysia’s Parliament he had met with Myanmar’s foreign affairs minister Tin Maung Swe in Naypyitaw last month, where they had discussed progress on the “five-point consensus”, a peace plan Myanmar’s former military rulers had agreed with the Asean bloc after protests against a 2021 coup sparked a nationwide rebellion against army rule.

Mohamad said he also raised other critical matters such as the release of political prisoners as well as efforts to address the large number of ethnic Rohingya refugees from Myanmar in Malaysia.

“I see that the Myanmar side this time seemed more open to the suggestions that were expressed compared to our previous interaction, when Malaysia was the chair of Asean last year,” he said.

The peace plan has largely been seen as a failure, with the military regime unwilling to engage in dialogue with opponents it views as “terrorists”.

Mohamad said Asean’s leaders had instructed the bloc’s foreign ministers to find ways to work with Myanmar on implementing the peace plan, including potential modifications to its terms.

“If we need to adjust, we will adjust but it will need to be approved by all the Asean leaders before any changes,” he said.