Asean envoy to Myanmar needs permanent office, says expert
Myanmar's military junta has been engaged in violent conflicts with various ethnic groups, exacerbating a humanitarian crisis after an earthquake in March led to 3 million people being displaced. (EPA Images pic)
PETALING JAYA : Asean should set up a permanent office to support the appointment of an Asean special envoy to Myanmar, according to an international affairs expert.
Johan Saravanamuttu of Universiti Malaya's Asia-Europe Institute said the office of the permanent envoy could be housed within the Asean Secretariat, where the envoy would have access to dedicated resources and support staff.
Asean leaders are reported to have agreed last week to appoint a full-time permanent special envoy to focus exclusively on Myanmar's ongoing crisis.
Johan said the current system of rotating special envoys forces unnecessary handovers as the role passes from one country to another.
Johan Saravanamuthu.
He said Malaysia, as the Asean chair for 2025, has to provide all the services to its special envoy, Othman Hashim, who was appointed in January.
The next special envoy for Myanmar will be from the Philippines, which takes over as the next Asean chair. 'So the Malaysian-appointed envoy will then have to report to the Philippines-appointed envoy and tell them this is what we have done, and so on,' he added.
He said Indonesia, as Asean chair in 2023, had held over 250 meetings with various parties about Myanmar.
'All records should be transferred to the permanent office to maintain institutional memory,' said Johan.
Johan said the principle of quiet diplomacy, as espoused by prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, will remain despite the appointment of a permanent envoy, who will continue facilitating discreet negotiations with Myanmar's conflicting parties without premature public announcements.
'As of now, there is no appetite to have any kind of dialogue between the State Administrative Council (SAC), the military leaders and the resistance groups,' he said.
'So we hope that, at some point, the special envoy will be able to bring some level of dialogue between the different groups, in a sense, and also to have some kind of dialogue with the junta as to how we could progress towards a peaceful resolution of conflicts.'
Asean's approach to Myanmar since the 2021 military coup has faced criticism for being slow and ineffective.
The bloc's Five-Point Consensus, which includes appointing a special envoy to engage with all stakeholders, remains the cornerstone of its peace efforts.
Yazid Zul Kepli.
Regional security analyst Yazid Zul Kepli recommended complementing quiet diplomacy with shuttle diplomacy and humanitarian coordination through Track 1.5 or Track 2 dialogues, which involve officials, academics, NGOs, and civil society actors.
'These formats allow for informal exchanges to build trust and explore solutions without the pressure of official negotiations,' he said.
For success, Yazid stressed the envoy must have a strong regional mandate, be neutral, and be experienced in diplomacy.
'The envoy could also help manage Myanmar's spillover effects across the region, including transnational crime, job scam-related money laundering, and refugee displacement, by coordinating responses and engaging with law enforcement and humanitarian agencies,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
25 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Fahmi Reza to sue government over ‘travel ban'
Graphic artist and activist Fahmi Reza yesterday claimed an immigration officer informed him that Bukit Aman had denied him clearance to travel overseas. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Graphic artist and activist Fahmi Reza says he will sue the government after being barred from travelling abroad, despite there being no official travel ban against him. Fahmi made the decision after Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Razarudin Husain today said there was no travel ban on Fahmi, who was prevented from flying to Singapore yesterday. Fahmi yesterday claimed an immigration officer informed him that Bukit Aman had denied him clearance to travel overseas. 'No one in the government has taken responsibility for restricting my right to travel,' said Fahmi in a statement today. 'You say there was no official ban — but I was still prevented from leaving the country. My time and money were wasted, and now you're passing the buck.' Fahmi criticised the authorities, saying they are quick to prosecute citizens but unwilling to be held accountable themselves. 'This time, the people will take the government to court,' he added. Earlier today, Razarudin clarified that the police did not issue a travel ban against Fahmi and said the incident was the result of a 'misunderstanding' during a border check. Separately, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he had instructed the police to investigate the matter, adding that the government supports individual freedom — as long as national security and laws are not compromised. Fahmi, known for his politically charged illustrations, was stopped at KLIA Terminal 2 yesterday while trying to board a flight to Singapore to attend a punk rock concert.
Free Malaysia Today
25 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
AG can still order police probe into Beng Hock's death, says lawyer
Teoh Beng Hock died on July 16, 2009 after being questioned for hours by MACC officers. PETALING JAYA : The attorney-general (AG) can still direct that the police investigate who was responsible for the death of former political aide Teoh Beng Hock under a more serious offence based on a Court of Appeal ruling issued 11 years ago, a lawyer said today. Salim Bashir said investigations could be conducted for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, causing death by negligence, or voluntarily causing grievous hurt. 'The Court of Appeal in 2014 found that Teoh's death was accelerated by the 'unlawful acts of persons unknown' and that the AG could direct the police to conduct further investigations,' he told FMT. He said there is no limitation period within which charges must be brought against a suspect. However, the prosecution must ensure that it is able to call the necessary witnesses and present the required evidence in court to support the charge, he added. Salim was speaking to FMT after two senior DAP leaders called for AG Dusuki Mokhtar to explain in detail why he thinks there is insufficient evidence to prosecute anyone for criminal offences which may have resulted in Teoh's death. Speaking on behalf of the party's central committee, its national chairman Gobind Singh Deo and secretary-general Loke Siew Fook called on the AG to review his decision and push ahead with charges against those responsible without further delay. FMT has contacted Dusuki, who is also the public prosecutor, for his response. Salim, a former Malaysian Bar president, said the AG under Article 145(3) of the Federal Constitution and Section 376 of the Criminal Procedure Code had the discretion whether to prosecute a suspect, and which provision of the law to utilise. Last week, lawyer-activist M Visvanathan told a gathering in solidarity with Teoh's family that three doctors had during an inquiry said that the deceased had injuries to his neck, which occurred before he fell from the fifth floor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam. 'These injuries would have been capable of making Teoh immobile or unconscious,' he said when contacted, adding that a judge in the Court of Appeal bench stated that there was no necessity to 'engage Sherlock Holmes to investigate because the circumstances are so credible'. Visvanathan said it was absurd for police to confine their recent investigation to wrongful confinement under Section 342 of the Penal Code as Teoh had been detained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for lawful investigations. Lawyer Rafique Rashid Ali called for the AG to issue a press conference instead of a letter to Teoh's family explaining why he had classified the case as requiring no further action (NFA). 'As the guardian of public interest, the AG should be transparent and accountable as this is a high-profile public interest case, and there needs to be closure to the family's predicament,' he said. Rafique said that in October 1994, then AG Mohtar Abdullah announced through the media that he was not pressing charges against an influential political leader as he had no prima facie evidence to pursue a charge of raping an underaged girl. However, Mohtar said he was not exonerating the suspect of the alleged offence. He said another AG, Apandi Ali, had in January 2016 told the media that then prime minister Najib Razak had been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing in the RM2.6 billion channelled into Najib's bank accounts and finance ministry-owned firm SRC International Sdn Bhd. Apandi said there was 'insufficient evidence' to implicate Najib and ordered MACC to close its three investigation papers. However, in 2018, Najib was charged with corruption in the SRC International and 1MDB case. Teoh died on July 16, 2009 after being questioned for hours by MACC officers. An inquest was held and the coroner returned an open verdict. However, the Court of Appeal ruled that Teoh's death was caused by 'one or more persons unknown', including MACC officers. In 2019, police launched an investigation under Section 342 of the Penal Code for wrongful confinement. In November last year, the High Court ordered the police to complete its long-delayed investigations within six months. Before 2018, two special investigation teams were set up – one in 2011 and the other in 2015 – to look into Teoh's death. Both cases were classified as NFA by the public prosecutor.
Free Malaysia Today
an hour ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Hadi stepping down would cause only minor disruption in PAS, says analyst
It was reported that Abdul Hadi Awang had hinted at stepping down as PAS president due to health reasons. PETALING JAYA : PAS may experience only a brief period of instability if its president Abdul Hadi Awang were to step down, a political analyst says in response to growing speculation over the party's top leadership. Syaza Shukri said that any successor to Hadi might need some time to gain the full support of members, given the Marang MP's strong charisma and leadership of PAS since 2003, following the death of Fadzil Noor. 'I believe that if Hadi is replaced by a trusted figure within the party such as Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man or Takiyuddin Hassan, there won't be major issues, and the party's stability can likely be maintained, especially with the backing of its Dewan Ulama and Syura Council. 'The new leader would need time to build confidence among members and establish legitimacy,' the International Islamic University Malaysia academic told FMT. Last week, Sinar Harian reported that Hadi had hinted at stepping down due to health reasons. It is understood that he expressed this intention to senior party leaders at a recent retreat in Terengganu. The development fuelled speculation on the positions of the PAS president and deputy president ahead of the party's internal election, expected in September. Dewan Ulama committee member Mokhtar Senik claimed there had been calls for Hadi to relinquish the top post, although this was denied by state-level leaders. Johor PAS Youth chief Ahmad Nawfal Mahfodz alleged that such efforts stemmed from external parties who were unhappy with PAS's performance under Hadi's leadership. However, Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said the pressure was coming from within the party as well, as some factions wanted to see PAS emerge as a stronger entity. He also acknowledged the presence of 'quiet movements' signalling the possible need for a change in leadership. 'That's why the ulama faction insists that the party's top two positions must continue to be held by religious scholars. 'But the pressure from the professionals seems more pronounced right now, because there's a sense that PAS needs reform,' he said. Azmi added that while PAS members were known for their loyalty to the party's leadership, many believed that change was necessary, albeit voluntary change and not through force. 'That's why there's a quiet, indirect movement to signal to Hadi that change is needed. And it does seem to be having some effect, hence the talk that both the number one and two positions should remain under the ulama faction,' he said.
