Malaysia to express solidarity with the people of Myanmar at 77th UNGA

Myanmar will be highlighted in several meetings specific on the country and at other meetings, apart from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob's address on Sept 23 where Malaysia's perspective on the country will be raised.

On Sept 19, he said, Malaysia will host a meeting with the Deputy Foreign Minister of the National Unity Government (NUG), Chairperson of Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), representative of the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC), Myanmar's (NUG appointed) Permanent Representative to the UN on Sept 19.

The specific meetings on Myanmar include with the European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs on Sept 20; Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group on Rohingya Muslims of Myanmar on Sept 21; and Informal ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting on Sept 22.

Saifuddin said Malaysia will also share its perspective at the High-Level Meeting to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities on Sept 21; Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) on Sept 21; and other bilateral meetings throughout the week.

"Malaysia will listen to the updates on what is really happening in Myanmar from the representatives of the people of Myanmar, exchange notes, and discuss the next steps (led by the people of Myanmar), and how Malaysia can be of assistance," he said.

Saifuddin said Malaysia will propose to ASEAN, among others, to review the current humanitarian aid run by the Task Force that includes the junta.

"Support the NGOs (including at the borders and within Myanmar) who are doing very well in vaccination programmes and delivering humanitarian aid, bearing in mind that there are NGOs who do not want to work with the junta or receive fundings from parties that work with the junta, and that there are parties who do not want to fund actors working with the junta," he said.

Between the UNGA and the ASEAN Summit in November 2022, he said Malaysia will also propose ASEAN to seriously review if the Five Point Consensus (5PC) is still relevant and if it should be replaced with something better.

He said the ASEAN Secretariat and foreign ministers (FMs) should prepare the groundwork so that the leaders can make the necessary decision in November, and not to wait until the leaders task the secretariat and FMs to do something.

"Malaysia will also highlight the plight of the Rohingyas and the funding needed for the children's education programmes in Bangladesh, Malaysia, etc," said Saifuddin.