Malaysia’s top diplomat says Asean must ‘decide what’s next’ for stalled Myanmar peace plan

Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah questioned if Asean’s five-point plan ‘is still relevant’ or should be ‘replaced with something better’

It comes as the UN Security Council is considering a resolution to demand an end to violence in Myanmar, urge an arms embargo and threaten sanctions

Reading Time:2 minutes

Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said ‘Asean must seriously review’ if the so-called five-point consensus for peace in Myanmar is still relevant, or if it should be replaced. Photo: Reuters

Published: 11:08am, 20 Sep 2022Updated: 11:12am, 20 Sep 2022

Asean must decide if it is going to push ahead with a so-far failed five-point peace plan for Myanmar or “decide what’s next” before its member states’ leaders meet in November, Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said.

Myanmar has been in crisis since the army ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in February last year, detaining her and other officials and launching a bloody crackdown on protests and dissent.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which Myanmar is a member, has been leading peace efforts.

Residents of a township in Myanmar’s northwestern Sagaing region give anti-coup fighters flowers as they pass by last month. Photo: AFP

“Between now and the Asean summit in November Asean must seriously review if the five-point consensus is still relevant, and if it should be replaced with something better,” Abdullah said on Monday. “By the time we meet in November, we must ask that hard question and we must have the answer during that time.”

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the annual gathering of world leaders for the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Abdullah also said he hoped the 15-member UN Security Council would not fail the people of Myanmar.

The UN Security Council is considering a British-drafted resolution – circulated on Friday – that would demand an end to all violence in Myanmar, urges an immediate end to the transfer of arms to Myanmar and threatens UN sanctions.

It would also called on the Myanmar junta to release all political prisoners, including Suu Kyi, implement the Asean peace plan and allow a democratic transition.