Opinion | Myanmar crisis demands Asean rethink on regional diplomacy

Ahead of the 58th Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on July 8-9 in Kuala Lumpur, officials must move beyond rhetorical consensus and seize the moment to embrace transformative, people-centred approaches that reflect the realities on the ground and restore the bloc’s credibility and relevance.

More than four years have passed since Myanmar’s military staged a violent coup, plunging the country into a deepening political and humanitarian crisis. The regime’s grip has inflicted devastating harm: more than 20,000 political prisoners remain behind bars, millions of people have been displaced and countless communities endure daily threats of air strikes, forced conscription and systemic oppression.

What began as a national emergency has become a defining test of regional credibility and moral resolve. In 2021, Asean adopted a five-point consensus as its core diplomatic framework. Even so, the junta has continuously flouted it by intensifying violence, obstructing humanitarian access and disregarding dialogue efforts with impunity. Devoid of enforcement and political will, the consensus has become a hollow instrument, invoked for appearances while atrocities continue unabated.

The paralysis in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is exacerbated by growing internal divisions. While Malaysia and Indonesia have taken principled steps to engage with Myanmar’s democratic opposition and ethnic groups, other member states have undermined regional coherence. Thailand maintains a posture of strategic ambiguity, the Philippines has called for a new diplomatic framework and Cambodia has entertained the junta’s plans for staged elections. This fragmentation has weakened Asean’s leverage and made a mockery of the notion of centrality.

Compounding the challenge is Asean’s institutional structure, particularly its annually rotating chairmanship, which undermines continuity and strategic depth. Each incoming chair often brings a different tone, set of priorities and diplomatic style, disrupting momentum and making it difficult to sustain long-term engagement. This revolving leadership hampers consistency and reflects the bloc’s limited political will and uneven commitment to addressing the crisis in Myanmar.

Malaysia has already taken a meaningful step forward. Its informal engagement with the National Unity Government (NUG) signalled a significant shift from Asean’s usual caution and helped build a consensus around the Asean leaders’ statement on an extended and expanded ceasefire, in May.