PHNOM PENH, Nov 11 — Malaysia must assert strong diplomatic influence to address regional crises while upholding its humanitarian principles beyond Southeast Asian borders.
Malaysia’s message was clear at the 44th and 45th Asean Summits in Vientiane last month as it assumed bloc chairmanship from Laos — to unite the divergent voices within the 10-member group to move forward.
A vociferous Malaysia has the potential to change the diplomatic dynamics within Asean, especially since previous chairs, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Laos, were unable to shift the status quo on prickly Myanmar’s civil war and the territorial disputes in the South China Sea issues.
These flashpoints in Asean’s backyard need urgent attention as Myanmar’s conflict is causing a massive humanitarian crisis while the maritime dispute is leading to bitterness among the grouping.
Myanmar’s civil unrest has heightened since the 2021 February military coup that pushed the nation into a political quagmire.
While China’s claims of the nine-dash-line in the South China Sea, blessed with maritime natural resources, has irked claimants the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Brunei, it remains an unresolved conundrum.
Universiti Malaya’s Adjunct Professor of Regional and Global Affairs Datuk Ilango Karuppanna said there is a pressing need for coherent strategies to address the intricate challenges posed by the South China Sea and Myanmar crises.
“Malaysia’s stand is clear, to stand by Asean, and that is its guiding principle. On international issues like the South China Sea, its position is also clear. Asean claimant states have to come to a common position before negotiating with China.
“South China Sea is a matter between the four Asean claimants and China. They can discuss with Asean and Malaysia as the incoming chair has the authority since it is also a claimant state.
“In Myanmar, it is important to realise there are two broad issues. One is the statehood, about power sharing between different stakeholders, and the other is a humanitarian crisis, with thousands of displaced Myanmar and the Rohingya people. These issues must be addressed separately rather than mixing them up,” Ilango, a former ambassador, told Bernama.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's strong appetite for international affairs and a sympathetic advocate of the Global South, he will be pressured to fulfill Malaysia’s commitment in the broader regional context.
Building consensus among Asean members on sensitive issues could be his major hurdle.
“Asean is a challenge because all are not equally innovative. Indonesia was innovative, Cambodia was quite (innovative) so when Malaysia takes over the Asean chair, there are expectations from the global community to do better,” former Indian Ambassador to Indonesia Gurjit Singh told Bernama from New Delhi.
“Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore have different views over the South China Sea while CLV (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam) have different views in engaging Myanmar. Asean has been slow on the Code of Conduct.
“Will Malaysia keep its national position or move towards a consensus position with one country? This remains an open question. And how will Asean Centrality fit into the changing world order?” asked Singh.
In January, the incoming newly elected United States President Trump’s foreign policy will certainly have some bearing on the region’s trade and security, ultimately influencing Asean’s future direction.
“Very challenging time for Malaysia to be the chair of Asean because there are so many issues going on in the region and globally. They will play a very important role in shaping the region's future.
“Malaysia is in a strategic position and its location (geographical) too, it has to strike a balance between Asean and China, and play a diplomatic role and remain neutral to protect small states,” Phnom Penh-based International Relations Institute director-general Kin Phea told Bernama.
Indeed, it is a formidable task for Anwar, argue regional experts, as the political discourse is galloping in multiple directions under the panoply of global tensions. The war in Gaza unresolved, Korean Peninsula in conflict since 1950, US-China trade tensions, Ukraine-Russia war — all could provoke anxiety in the region.
While Asean will remain the bedrock of Malaysia’s foreign policy strategy, its diplomatic skills and steadfast leadership in navigating the harsh realities will set the tone to lead the grouping in 2025.
— Bernama
