18 months after coup, Myanmar needs a ‘clear endgame’ for peace, urges Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah

Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah advocates direct engagement against the junta with the backing of the Asean – but not all members are willing

He also suggests bringing in ‘outside help’ from the likes of China, India and Japan to end the violence in Myanmar since the military seized power last year

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Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah advocates direct engagement against the junta – with help. Photo: Handout

Published: 8:30am, 12 Aug 2022Updated: 7:07pm, 12 Aug 2022

Malaysia’s foreign minister’s call for a clear endgame in Myanmar’s faltering peace process has been greeted with caution by regional watchers who said that some members of Asean realise the need to take a strong position against the junta.

But getting the regional grouping to agree on a course of action may be difficult, according to at least one analyst.

On Wednesday, Saifuddin Abdullah said that Malaysia wanted a “clear endgame” in Myanmar’s peace process and was advocating direct engagement by Asean with opponents of the junta.

He also suggested bringing other countries “into the fold”, adding that the special Myanmar envoy should have a tenure longer than a year to be more effective.

Myanmar has been trapped in a spiral of violence since the military seized power last year and ended a decade of tentative democracy, triggering a backlash of protests, strikes and armed resistance that the generals have met with deadly force.

Chong Ja Ian, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, said that following the junta’s execution of politicians opposed to its rule, Asean seemed to realise it needed to take a strong stance towards Naypyidaw and engage more with the National Unity Government (NUG).

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