Myanmar groups urged to create conducive environment for polls

Free Malaysia Today

a day ago

The Myanmar junta has announced plans to hold an election this year despite the ongoing unrest. (Reuters pic)
KUALA LUMPUR : Foreign minister Mohamad Hasan has called on all parties in Myanmar to create a conducive environment for elections.
'We call on all stakeholders, particularly the State Administration Council (SAC), as the de facto party in power, to commit towards peace and the creation of a conducive environment for elections, in line with the aspirations of the people of Myanmar,' he said in his opening remarks at the 58th Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting today.
At the foreign ministers' retreat in Langkawi earlier this year, the bloc urged Myanmar's military government to prioritise peace through dialogue and a ceasefire agreement, rather than pushing ahead with elections.
It is unclear whether Mohamad's remarks signal that Asean chair Malaysia is now open to the military's planned vote, which critics call a ploy to maintain military rule under the guise of democracy.
Mohamad also called for the translation of proclamations of ceasefires to concrete actions.
'Despite Asean's sustained efforts, we have yet to see meaningful progress on the ground. Delaying peace in Myanmar prolongs the suffering of the people and threatens the region's security.
'Asean will continue to support the path towards a Myanmar-owned and Myanmar-led peaceful resolution,' he said.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since February 2021, when the military overthrew the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy.
The coup sparked widespread protests and civil unrest across the country, leading to violent crackdowns by the military junta that saw hundreds of thousands displaced.
The junta has announced plans to hold an election this year despite widespread international condemnation and internal strife.
Earlier during the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim acknowledged in his speech the complexity of the Myanmar crisis, noting that contentious issues such as the Five-Point Consensus remained unresolved.
'When we discussed with the leaders, without exception, there was full support and confidence,' he said.
'So, similarly, after the event, we were able to engage again to seek a common platform and better understand how to proceed.'