NO SALES; NO ARCHIVE; RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photos may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the pictures may require further permission. MANDATORY CREDIT - Afiq Hambali/ Prime Minister’s Office of Malaysia.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has declared that the election planned by Myanmar’s military council is not a priority for ASEAN in resolving the country’s political crisis and conflicts. During a press conference, he emphasized that if the election is merely being used as a facade to obscure the truth from the international community, it would be entirely meaningless and could potentially worsen the conflict situation. The minister stressed that the solution to Myanmar’s crisis lies in implementing the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus rather than proceeding with the military council’s planned election.
ASEAN has already conveyed a clear message to the military council that discussions regarding elections can only begin after the full implementation of the Five-Point Consensus. The minister emphasized that only through an inclusive negotiation process can Myanmar establish a genuine democratic government. He also revealed that ASEAN member states have reached an agreement regarding the proposal to appoint a permanent ASEAN Special Envoy to Myanmar for a three-year term. This appointment represents a significant step in ASEAN’s continued engagement with the Myanmar crisis.
The Foreign Minister highlighted that Myanmar’s crisis has evolved beyond a domestic issue to become a regional concern, particularly due to cross-border crimes, money laundering, and scam operations affecting neighboring countries. He pointed out that Malaysia alone is currently hosting more than 200,000 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, demonstrating the regional impact of the crisis. This situation necessitates a coordinated regional response, with the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus serving as a crucial framework for addressing the ongoing crisis. The minister emphasized that regional stability and security depend on finding a sustainable solution to Myanmar’s political situation through the implementation of agreed-upon measures rather than through potentially destabilizing elections organized by the military council.
