logo
Asean mulls permanent envoy to Myanmar on 3-year term

Asean mulls permanent envoy to Myanmar on 3-year term

Foreign minister Mohamad Hasan at the Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Kuala Lumpur today. (Bernama pic)
KUALA LUMPUR : Asean foreign ministers are considering a proposal to appoint a permanent special envoy to handle the protracted Myanmar crisis, in a shift from the current practice of rotating the role annually among member states.
Foreign minister Mohamad Hasan said they had agreed to begin internal consultations on the proposal, which received broad support at the Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AFMM) here today.
'To us, every year we have to change the special envoy, then we have to start all over again and there's no end to it.
'So, we have agreed that we want to explore (this proposal) … and nobody said otherwise.
'And it's just a matter of who is going to be the permanent special envoy, well, maybe for a three-year term,' he told a press conference after chairing the meeting.
Under existing arrangements, the special envoy is appointed by the Asean chair on a yearly basis.
As chair for 2025, Malaysia has named Othman Hashim as the bloc's fifth envoy since the February 2021 military coup that plunged Myanmar into political and humanitarian turmoil.
When asked about whether Asean's non-interference policy limited its ability to handle the civil war in Myanmar, Mohamad reiterated that the 'Asean way' does not seek to meddle in the internal affairs of its member states.
However, he said the Myanmar crisis has spilled over to neighbouring countries.
'We now have to deal with transnational crime, money laundering via job scams, millions of people being displaced and a growing refugee crisis.
'Malaysia itself is dealing with 200,000 Rohingya refugees.
'We are not trying to meddle in their affairs, but this has become an Asean issue,' he said.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Don't forget the workers in trade war talk, says scholar
Don't forget the workers in trade war talk, says scholar

Free Malaysia Today

time2 hours ago

  • Free Malaysia Today

Don't forget the workers in trade war talk, says scholar

Vilashini Somiah speaking at BBC's World Questions programme in Petaling Jaya. PETALING JAYA : A feminist scholar has called out the absence of labour, particularly that of women and migrant workers, in discussions around the US tariffs. Universiti Malaya's Vilashini Somiah, an anthropologist specialising in migration, gender and labour, said the current debate often focuses on geopolitics and corporate interests instead of the factory and construction workers who will feel the impact. 'We are so consumed with the conversation of companies. We're so consumed about the way America is looking at China and how China is looking at America and where all of us are in between in the Indo-Pacific,' she said during tonight's recording of BBC World Questions debate at Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre. 'But the fact of the matter is, you can't move any of these things… if the cost of labour on invisible bodies, particularly, is not acknowledged.' Vilashini said the gendered and migrant dimensions of labour often go unmentioned in trade policies, as these perspectives were not seen as 'sexy' or powerful compared to hard diplomacy and economic strategy. 'These are people (holding up economies). These are your mothers, your sisters,' she added. US president Donald Trump introduced the tariff measures on April 3, imposing a 10% baseline levy on most trading partners and steeper duties on dozens of countries and blocs, including the EU, UK, Canada, Mexico, and China. Malaysia initially received a 24% tariff rate, excluding electronics, while regional neighbour Cambodia was slapped with a 49% tariff, the heaviest among all Southeast Asian countries. It was followed by Laos (48%), Vietnam (46%), and Singapore (10%). Malaysia's exports in manufacturing and palm oil, sectors heavily reliant on migrant labour, were expected to feel the impact. However, the tariffs shook global markets, leading the White House to delay or soften some of the measures. Beyond trade diplomacy, deputy domestic trade and cost of living minister Fuziah Salleh said the government was studying how the US tariff package could affect Malaysian households. 'I have also asked for a study to be done on how it will affect the cost of living because that's basically within our purview,' she said.

Petronas job cuts in line with industry norms, says Shahril
Petronas job cuts in line with industry norms, says Shahril

Free Malaysia Today

time2 hours ago

  • Free Malaysia Today

Petronas job cuts in line with industry norms, says Shahril

Petronas president and group CEO Tengku Muhammad Taufik Aziz said last week the company would cut about 10% of its workforce in a company-wide restructuring exercise. (Reuters pic) PETALING JAYA : Petronas' decision to lay off 5,000 workers is in line with the challenging global situation in the oil and gas industry, says a former economic director in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). In the latest episode of the Keluar Sekejap podcast, Shahril Hamdan also said Petronas's move was apt considering the national oil company's revenue per employee (RPE), which he said stood at RM6 million in 2015. 'The RPE of Petrobras is US$2 million to US$3 million… and Pertamina's is around US$1.5 million to US$2 million,' he said, referring to the state-owned oil companies of Brazil and Indonesia respectively. 'So there is a need for Petronas to be more optimal.' Shahril also said the public had to accept the fact that the oil and gas landscape had changed over the years. He said it was clear that Petronas – or any other oil and gas company – would have to evolve from the 1990s, when exploration costs were much lower. Shahril also said other large oil and gas companies had taken steps to reduce their workforce although their production levels might not have dipped. He said this was especially evident in the United States, which has seen a drop in oil and gas industry workers despite production still at a high level. 'However, the number of workers required has indeed decreased,' he said. 'So there is 'productivity gain', which is indeed normal in this industry.' A former Umno information chief, Shahril was an economic director in the PMO under former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob. Last Thursday, Petronas president and group CEO Tengku Muhammad Taufik Aziz said the company would cut about 10% of its workforce in a company-wide restructuring exercise that was aimed at reducing costs due to falling crude prices. He said Petronas expects to reduce its headcount by more than 5,000 people and freeze hiring until December 2026. Deputy prime minister Fadillah Yusof later said Petronas's restructuring exercise was due to global challenges and was not linked to its dispute with Sarawak's state-owned gas aggregator, Petroleum Sarawak Bhd. Petronas has promised to support employees affected by the exercise, including by offering competitive separation packages.

Pahang Sultan, Tengku Ampuan grace royal banquet in conjunction with AIPACODD 2025
Pahang Sultan, Tengku Ampuan grace royal banquet in conjunction with AIPACODD 2025

New Straits Times

time4 hours ago

  • New Straits Times

Pahang Sultan, Tengku Ampuan grace royal banquet in conjunction with AIPACODD 2025

KUANTAN: The Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah graced the royal banquet, held in conjunction with the 8th Meeting of the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Assembly Advisory Council on Dangerous Drugs (AIPACODD) 2025, at a hotel here last night. Accompanying Al-Sultan Abdullah was Tengku Ampuan of Pahang, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah. Their Royal Highnesses were greeted on arrival by AIPA president and Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat Tan Sri Johari Abdul; Pahang State Assembly Speaker Datuk Seri Mohd Sharkar Shamsudin; and other state government leaders. Upon arrival, the royal couple took time to visit a stall showcasing renowned Kain Tenun Pahang. Adding to the evening's significance, the banquet featured traditional Pahang delicacies, including patin buah bakar tempoyak and patin buah gulai tempoyak, alongside classic desserts such as puding raja and kuih pena. The dinner was held with the consent of Al-Sultan Abdullah, symbolising the royal institution's support for inter-parliamentary diplomacy, in fostering a safer and more sustainable future for Asean. Themed 'Uniting Parliaments for an Inclusive and Sustainable Asean in Addressing Contemporary Drug Challenges', the meeting began today to discuss the commitment of Asean member states in addressing current drug-related challenges, collectively and comprehensively, particularly on cybercrime and human trafficking issues. The meeting will continue today, with deliberations and the adoption of the official resolution, before concluding with a closing ceremony and a speech of appreciation by the representative of the Philippines, as the host of the next session.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store