
Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire terms discussed at GBC meeting in Seremban
'A permanent ceasefire agreement has been reached. We are now at the stage of outlining the terms of reference, which were discussed today at the technical committee level. We hope both parties can agree to the proposed terms,' Mohamad said. He emphasised the importance of forming an ASEAN Monitoring Team to oversee compliance with the ceasefire, ensuring stability and reconnection between border communities.
Speaking to reporters after attending the Negeri Sembilan State Assembly sitting, Mohamad noted that while both sides presented additional suggestions, he remained confident that major disagreements would not derail the process.
Tensions along the Thailand-Cambodia border escalated into armed conflict on July 24, following an initial skirmish on May 28.
The ceasefire was brokered during a special meeting in Putrajaya chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as ASEAN Chair. - Bernama
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Malay Mail
18 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Malaysia hosts two rivals caught in a century-old dispute: On the Thai and Cambodian brickbat — Phar Kim Beng
AUGUST 5 — Although the latest ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia offers a moment of relief, the roots of their territorial conflict run deep — stretching back more than a century to the 1907 Franco-Siam Treaty. That agreement, drawn up between France and Siam (Thailand's predecessor), attempted to demarcate boundaries based on colonial-era cartography, primarily relying on the rivers and natural terrain that separated local communities. At the time, borders were not defined by digital coordinates or satellite images, but by how rivers meandered through mountains, bushlands, and remote hinterlands. These riverine boundaries served a functional purpose in the early 20th century but were never intended to be permanent, especially not in a region where rivers shift over time due to seasonal floods, erosion, and sediment buildup. This historical reality has returned with renewed urgency, as the General Border Committee (GBC) between Thailand and Cambodia has now convened to try and resolve the dispute. The Committee's work is cut out: unless both sides acknowledge the shifting nature of rivers and the evolving grounds on which their maps are based, any legal or political solution will remain brittle. Cambodia continues to uphold the French-era 1:200,000 scale map from 1907, while Thailand insists on the more precise 1:50,000 version developed by its Royal Survey Department, with technical inputs from the United States. These incompatible cartographic instruments are more than just maps — they are political declarations of historical legitimacy. Yet, maps drawn in a colonial century cannot anchor peace in the contemporary world unless both sides reconcile their differences. As the GBC proceeds in earnest between August 4–7 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, it must do more than compare technical data. It must foster mutual recognition that natural borders — particularly rivers — are never static. People gather at Sisowath Quay riverfront in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, August 1, 2025. — Reuters pic The notion that mud sediments and altered watercourses can shift the basis of border lines must be internalised by both countries. Without such a pragmatic approach, violations along the contested border will recur time and again, despite diplomatic gestures or ceasefire agreements. Malaysia's role as host of the ongoing negotiations places it at the centre of ASEAN's peace-building efforts. As the Chair of ASEAN in 2025, Malaysia is not merely offering a venue. It is offering a vital space for diplomacy, restraint, and forward-looking cooperation. By bringing Cambodian and Thai officials together in Putrajaya, Malaysia is facilitating more than just talks — it is enabling the region's collective commitment to peace under the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation. This process, however, cannot be rushed. The technical, legal, and emotional layers involved in redrawing or reaffirming national borders require patience, scientific consultation, and political courage. What matters now is that the GBC meetings stay focused on results: a harmonised understanding of maps, agreement on verification mechanisms, and a joint protocol to prevent and de-escalate future incidents. The war of maps must not return to a war of bullets. Malaysia is not just hosting two rivals — it is hosting a historic attempt to end one of ASEAN's oldest bilateral disputes. The challenge now is to turn this moment of convergence into a blueprint for durable peace. For if this opportunity is squandered, the region risks slipping back into cycles of conflict that no summit or ceasefire can contain. * Phar Kim Beng PhD is Professor of Asean Studies, International Islamic University of Malaysia and Director of Institute of Internationalisation and Asean Studies (IINTAS). ** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.


New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Sabah's sovereignty will be upheld on Sulawesi Sea joint development
KUALA LUMPUR: The government has given its assurance that any decision regarding the proposed joint development with Indonesia in Blocks ND6 and ND7 in the Sulawesi Sea will take into account the rights and interests of Sabah. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the commitment aligns with the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). He said the area in question falls within Malaysia's maritime territory, as outlined in the 1979 New Map and affirmed by the 2002 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling, which granted sovereignty over Sipadan and Ligitan islands to Malaysia. "I would like to draw the attention of this Honourable House to the use of the term 'Ambalat' by Indonesia. Their claim includes part of the Sulawesi Sea, covering Blocks ND6 and ND7. "Malaysia maintains that these blocks lie within our sovereign territory, based on international law. Therefore, the more accurate reference, consistent with Malaysia's position, is the Sulawesi Sea – not 'Ambalat'," he told the Dewan Rakyat today. He was responding to a question from Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis (Warisan–Kota Belud) and Riduan Rubin (Independent–Tenom) regarding the joint development proposal in Blocks ND6 and ND7, also referred to as the Ambalat Block. Both MPs had asked whether the approach would follow the model of the Malaysia–Thailand Joint Development Authority (MTJDA), especially in light of Sabah and Sarawak's rights under MA63. Mohamad said the proposal, announced in a joint statement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on June 27, was still in the preliminary stage and had not yet been finalised. "The federal government also guarantees that representatives from the Sabah Government are always involved in any negotiations or technical meetings related to maritime boundaries, to ensure the state's sovereignty is safeguarded. "We are also protecting the country's strategic interests and security, particularly in relation to natural resource rights, maritime control, and the management of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)." He said maritime boundary negotiations between Malaysia and Indonesia have been ongoing through Technical Meetings since 2005 and are reported to the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation and the Annual Leaders' Consultation between both nations. "Malaysia remains committed to resolving overlapping claims with Indonesia peacefully, through diplomatic and legal means. Both parties are still exploring the feasibility of this cooperation, and nothing has been finalised."


New Straits Times
3 hours ago
- New Straits Times
PM: Malaysia has set 'no new attacks' condition for Myanmar ceasefire
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has set a condition for Myanmar — no new attacks — as a prerequisite for a ceasefire, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. "Our condition is that there must be no new attacks. A ceasefire must be observed. "This is also a way to safeguard the rights and wellbeing of the long oppressed Rohingya community. "For the first time in months, they are somewhat relieved and there have been no continued assaults, although a few isolated incidents have been reported," he said during Prime Minister's Question Time (PMQT) in the Dewan Rakyat today. Anwar said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, along with his counterparts from Thailand and possibly Indonesia, would visit Myanmar this month to pursue peace efforts. He was responding to a question by Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin (PN-Larut) on whether Malaysia was ready to play a mediating role in the Myanmar conflict like it did for the Thailand-Cambodia border conflict. In response to a supplementary question by Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (PN-Arau) on whether Malaysia would use the Asean Forum to address the crisis in Myanmar's Rakhine state, which has forced many Rohingya to flee to Malaysia, Anwar said the Myanmar crisis would be raised at the Asean Summit in October. He said Myanmar had shown a willingness to cooperate and hold discussions with Malaysia under the Asean spirit. "I've met two prime ministers and the prime minister of the National Unity Government to reach a consensus. "First, a ceasefire must be enforced. Second, humanitarian aid must be allowed in. "And third, dialogue must resume to halt attacks, particularly in Rohingya areas like Rakhine. "The situation is significantly better than before." On the conflict in Southern Thailand, Anwar said although Malaysia and Thailand had high-level discussions on the mater, Bangkok had yet to agree on using the Asean framework for conflict resolution. The situation was similar for Southern Philippines, he said.