Malaysia PM says he will do whatever possible to ensure Myanmar's acceptance in regional community

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has pledged his country's full support in integrating Myanmar into the regional ASEAN bloc, following a meeting with Myanmar’s military-backed leader Min Aung Hlaing. Min Aung Hlaing is in Malaysia for a two-day visit to seek greater international legitimacy, having been appointed president in April following an election widely criticized by Western nations and rights groups as fraudulent.

Myanmar has faced turmoil since Min Aung Hlaing led a military coup against a democratically elected government in 2021, sparking a civil war. Since then, both Min Aung Hlaing and other senior officials have been barred from attending ASEAN summits due to their failure to adhere to an ASEAN-brokered peace plan. However, some member countries have sought to re-establish ties with Myanmar.

Min Aung Hlaing has previously visited ASEAN members Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar acknowledged ongoing concerns about democratic processes in Myanmar but emphasized the need to respect differences between nations. "I would say that we and our part in Malaysia, will do whatever is possible to make sure that we enhance this collaboration and ultimately, take Myanmar as part of our community of nations, without prejudice, and particularly in the context of ASEAN," Anwar stated in a media briefing following the meeting.

In an unrelated development, Malaysia has decided to repatriate 10,493 Myanmar nationals who had been staying in the country. This move comes after Malaysia concluded that it could no longer afford to take in refugees from Myanmar, citing them as a financial burden and security risk. The country recently sent back around 1,500 people on Myanmar naval ships, disregarding warnings from the United Nations and rights groups regarding the potential dangers faced by returnees due to the ongoing civil war.