logo
Thailand, Cambodia agree to ceasefire, says PM Anwar

Thailand, Cambodia agree to ceasefire, says PM Anwar

The Star25-07-2025
JITRA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Friday (July 25) said that Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to a ceasefire and to withdraw their troops from the border.
The Prime Minister said both countries had agreed but requested some time, as their troops were already stationed at the border and needed time to pull back.
"Yesterday, I had a phone conversation with the acting Prime Minister of Thailand and the Prime Minister of Cambodia, because of Malaysia's position and their respect for us.
"I'm grateful because when I spoke with them, both responded respectfully. Why? Because Malaysia is a peaceful and stable country,' he said when addressing the 2025 Anti-Drug Day Celebration here on Friday.
On Thursday (July 24), the Prime Minister welcomed the positive signals and willingness shown by Bangkok and Phnom Penh in considering the implementation of a ceasefire to prevent further conflict.
Anwar was reported to have contacted Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai on Thursday evening to convey Malaysia's concern over the escalating tensions.
Earlier, media reports stated that Thai and Cambodian troops clashed on Thursday in the disputed border area, with both sides blaming each other for initiating the latest confrontation.
Tensions between the two South-East Asian nations have been escalating since May 28, following a deadly incident in the Preah Vihear area that claimed the life of a Cambodian soldier.
The two countries have been at odds for decades over their still-undemarcated 817-kilometre border, and the dispute continues to strain diplomatic relations.- Bernama
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump reserves harshest tariff rates for Laos, Myanmar and Syria
Trump reserves harshest tariff rates for Laos, Myanmar and Syria

The Star

time4 minutes ago

  • The Star

Trump reserves harshest tariff rates for Laos, Myanmar and Syria

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump's revised global tariff plan unveiled Thursday (July 31) hit Laos and Myanmar hard with a 40% import duty - the second-highest rate in the world behind only Syria at 41%. The White House hasn't explained its rationale, and US trade with all three is small compared with its other partners. Myanmar remains under US sanctions following its 2021 coup, and Laos has drawn US scrutiny for deepening ties with China. Syria, meanwhile, had been penalised for human rights abuses under former President Bashar Al-Assad, but the US has sought to ease those restrictions since his overthrow last year. In Myanmar's case, trade with the US totalled US$734 million last year - yet the penalty will deepen an economic collapse that began when Min Aung Hlaing seized power in a coup more than four years ago. Washington has imposed sanctions for what it sees as the junta's use of violence against civilians and suppression of democracy activists. The tariff announcement came just a day after Myanmar's junta lifted emergency rule, paving the way for elections later this year. The US and other governments have criticised the vote as neither being free nor fair. Myanmar's junta chief praised Trump in a rare letter last month and compared his military's coup to the US president's baseless claims of election fraud, suggesting both leaders were victims of rigged votes. Min Aung Hlaing also requested a reduced tariff rate and offered to send a high-level trade delegation to Washington. Deputy Commerce Minister Min Min said by phone the government was unaware of the development and declined to comment. As for Laos, US exports to the South-East Asian nation totalled $40.4 million last year, while imports reached $803.3 million. The US has raised concern over its economic dependence on China and mounting debt tied to Chinese infrastructure projects. Trump recently signed an executive order easing sanctions on Syria to help rebuild the war-torn country and support its new government. Observers say there may be a simple reason for the high levies. "Rather than pick on these three nations, I suspect limited bandwidth in DC led officials to focus on bigger fry,' said Simon Evenett, founder of the St. Gallen Endowment for Prosperity Through Trade, a group based in Switzerland that tracks trade policies. - Bloomberg

Ramasamy: US tariff reductions or strategic retreat? Malaysia's Boeing deal raises alarming questions
Ramasamy: US tariff reductions or strategic retreat? Malaysia's Boeing deal raises alarming questions

Focus Malaysia

time4 minutes ago

  • Focus Malaysia

Ramasamy: US tariff reductions or strategic retreat? Malaysia's Boeing deal raises alarming questions

TRADE, Investment and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz proudly claimed that Malaysia did not cross any 'red lines' in negotiating the recent reduction of US reciprocal tariffs from 25% to 19%. Together with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, he painted a picture of tough, principled bargaining that delivered results without compromising national interests. However, this narrative quickly unravelled. In the same breath, Tengku Zafrul admitted that one of the conditions for the tariff reduction was Malaysia's agreement to purchase 30 Boeing planes valued at US$9.5 bil (RM40.63 bil) for the Malaysian Aviation Group (MAG). The order – placed as early as March this year – includes 18 Boeing 737-8 and 12 Boeing 737-10 planes. It is not only Malaysia that has been pushed into such purchases. Other countries that received tariff relief from the US have reportedly made similar orders. Still, it is deeply troubling that Malaysia was effectively coerced into buying Boeing planes just to satisfy Washington's terms. 'No such thing as free lunch' Aircraft procurement should be driven by national interest and value for money. Whether from Boeing in the US or Airbus in France, Malaysia ought to have pursued an open tender process to ensure competitiveness and transparency. Instead, it appears that the deal was dictated more by geopolitics than by sound economics. This situation raises a larger question: what other concessions did Malaysia make in return for the tariff reduction? Anwar's government has presented the tariff cut as a diplomatic victory. But the reality seems to be far more complex – and costly. There is no such thing as a free lunch with the US, especially under President Donald Trump's aggressive 'America First' trade policy. For Malaysia, the price of lower tariffs seems to have been the erosion of sovereign decision-making. This kind of transactional diplomacy reflects a new form of economic imperialism – one where tariffs are wielded as instruments of coercion to secure purchases of American products. In this light, Tengku Zafrul's claim that Malaysia did not cross any red lines rings hollow. Forcing a sovereign country to buy specific goods as a pre-condition for trade concessions is, by any standard, a breach of those red lines. It is time for both Anwar and Tengku Zafrul to come clean. Malaysians deserve to know the full extent of the concessions made in this tariff deal. Transparency is essential if public confidence in the government's foreign and trade policy is to be maintained. The issue here is not merely about trade or tariffs – it is about whether countries like Malaysia can truly chart an independent path in global economic affairs. Or are we destined to dance to the tune of powerful nations under the guise of diplomacy? As a Tamil proverb puts it: there must be a reason why the rat runs naked. The question is whether Malaysia has been exposed naked in the tariff reduction deal with the US? – Aug 2, 2025 Former DAP stalwart and Penang chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council. The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia. Main image credit: Tengku Zafrul/Facebook

Istana Negara: Sultan Ibrahim to make historic state visit to Russia
Istana Negara: Sultan Ibrahim to make historic state visit to Russia

Borneo Post

time4 minutes ago

  • Borneo Post

Istana Negara: Sultan Ibrahim to make historic state visit to Russia

His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia will make history as the first Malaysian Head of State to conduct a state visit to Russia since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1967. – Bernama photo KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 2): His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, the King of Malaysia, will undertake a state visit to Russia from August 5 to 10, 2025, at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin. In a statement today, Istana Negara announced that His Majesty will make history as the first Malaysian Head of State to conduct a state visit to Russia since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1967. 'This visit also reflects the important role of the Malaysian monarchy in advancing the nation's diplomacy,' it said. Istana Negara added that the visit will not only strengthen existing bilateral relations but also open new avenues for cooperation in various fields, including trade, higher education, technology, innovation, and people-to-people ties. As ASEAN Chair in 2025, Malaysia will also play a major role in enhancing strategic cooperation, particularly in the context of Russia's status as an ASEAN Dialogue Partner since 1996, it added. While in Moscow, Istana Negara said His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim will be accorded a state welcome ceremony at the Kremlin by President Vladimir Putin, followed by an official meeting between the two Heads of State. 'His Majesty will also attend a state banquet hosted by the President of the Russian Federation,' Istana Negara said. His Majesty is then scheduled to visit the Central Scientific Research Automobile and Automotive Engines Institute (NAMI) as well as the Tochka Kipeniya Technology and Innovation Hub. After concluding his programme in Moscow, His Majesty will travel to Kazan in the Republic of Tatarstan on Aug 8, 2025. Tatarstan is one of Russia's autonomous republics, with a Muslim-majority population. In Kazan, Istana Negara said His Majesty will be granted an audience with the Rais (Head) of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, and will tour a helicopter manufacturing and assembly facility. – Bernama King of Malaysia lead Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar Vladimir Putin

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store