Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim described his meeting in Bangkok with Myanmar’s junta leader yesterday as “frank and constructive,” with a focus on the urgent humanitarian needs of the Myanmar people affected by the recent strong earthquake.
Anwar, who serves as this year’s ASEAN chair, was in Bangkok on a two-day working visit that centered on coordinating assistance for Myanmar’s earthquake response and broader humanitarian aid.
He met Myanmar’s Senior General Min Aung Hlaing at a Bangkok hotel. Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a member of Anwar’s chief advisory team, was also present at the meeting.
According to Malaysian state news agency Bernama, discussions also covered the immediate deployment of a field hospital and stressed the importance of restoring normalcy in Myanmar.
The one-hour meeting welcomed recent political gestures aimed at easing tensions, including the release of 4,800 detainees.
“Such gestures are a meaningful signal. We continue to encourage all parties to engage seriously in the interest of Myanmar’s stability and the wellbeing of its people,” Anwar said.
Anwar says he is scheduled today to meet with representatives from Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government (NUG), which leads the resistance against the military regime, according to Bernama.
Anwar previously noted that this would be the first time an ASEAN chair meets with the Myanmar junta leader.
He emphasised that while ASEAN continues to uphold the Five-Point Consensus as the main framework for engagement, this meeting was held on humanitarian grounds.
