KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Wednesday that his government will extend an invitation to Myanmar’s junta chief‑turned‑president Min Aung Hlaing for an official visit. The invitation is tied to Myanmar’s acceptance of the return of thousands of Rohingya refugees who have been living in Malaysia.
Diplomatic outreach amid ASEAN stalemate
Min Aung Hlaing seized power in a 2021 coup and later assumed the presidency in April after an election dominated by an army‑backed party. Since then, the military government has struggled for international legitimacy. Anwar explained that, while Malaysia follows the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in not formally recognizing Myanmar’s new government, the country needs a counterpart with authority to negotiate refugee repatriation.
“We, following ASEAN, don’t want direct relations with Myanmar. So who are we supposed to negotiate with?” Anwar said during a podcast. “I invited him to say we can be friends, we can trade, we can accept Myanmar, but Myanmar must accept them (refugees) back.”
Rohingya repatriation plan
Malaysia finalized the first phase of a voluntary repatriation programme last month, returning 1,500 Myanmar refugees in September. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates Malaysia hosts about 193,800 refugees from Myanmar, but warns that conditions in Myanmar remain unsafe for a mass return.
Anwar acknowledged the suffering of the Rohingya, a persecuted minority, but stressed that Malaysia cannot accommodate them permanently. “They need to be sent home,” he said, adding that Malaysia will bear the cost of returning 5,000 refugees now, with more expected in later stages.
Regional context
If the plan proceeds, Malaysia would become the fifth ASEAN member to host Min Aung Hlaing after his recent visits to Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. He has also traveled to China, India and Russia seeking diplomatic support.
ASEAN has not recognized Myanmar’s election and has barred its leaders from summit meetings since the 2021 civil war began, a conflict that has claimed an estimated 100,000 lives and drawn widespread accusations of military atrocities.
Balancing diplomacy and principle
“To me, that’s better diplomacy than just shouting angrily at Myanmar. Who’s going to take them? Where do we send them? They don’t even have Myanmar citizenship,” Anwar said, emphasizing a pragmatic approach over outright condemnation.
He noted that Malaysia previously refrained from negotiations because it did not recognize the junta’s authority. “We’re not simply going to recognise and negotiate for no reason,” he added.
The proposal reflects Malaysia’s broader effort to address the humanitarian crisis while navigating the delicate politics of ASEAN and the ongoing conflict in Myanmar.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
