Malaysia minister rebukes Cambodia’s Hun Sen for meeting Myanmar junta chief
- Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah chided the Cambodian strongman for not consulting Asean members before his two-day trip to the crisis-hit nation
- He also said the visit achieved nothing even after coup leader Min Aung Hlaing pledged to extend a ceasefire with armed ethnic groups
“We would expect that he could have at least consult – if not all – a few of his brother leaders as to what he should say,” Saifuddin told reporters on Thursday referring to the regional bloc, of which Myanmar is a member.
“Not that we are trying to teach him, but normally the Asean chairs consult the others anytime you want to do something that is considered significant.”
UN’s Myanmar envoy calls for ‘humanitarian pause’ on escalating violence
Saifuddin said, however, the trip achieved nothing even after coup leader Min Aung Hlaing pledged to extend a ceasefire with armed ethnic groups.
The junta’s security forces have killed nearly 1,470 people since the coup as of Thursday, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi this week commended Phnom Penh’s positive efforts to resolve the situation, resulting in progress toward a ceasefire.
Hun Sen has reversed the stance of the previous chair Brunei, which led efforts within the 10-nation bloc to deny Min Aung Hlaing from taking part in a virtual big ticket summit last year, saying the Myanmar regime has the right to attend Asean meetings.
“We maintain our position that until there is clear progress on the five-point consensus Myanmar’s representation at the Asean summit and related summits at the end of the year should remain non-political,” Saifuddin said.