KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is prepared to engage with Myanmar unilaterally if the Five-Point Consensus for Myanmar is no longer workable, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah.

The Foreign Minister, however, told the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday (Oct 6) that the process to implement the Five-Point Consensus for Myanmar was still being carried out in whatever way "that is humanly possible" by the Asean Special Envoy to Myanmar.

"A long time ago, Malaysia was the first country to carry out constructive engagement even before Myanmar was a member of Asean.

"I think what is raised by YB Subang can be considered if matters related to the Five-Point Consensus clearly can no longer be implemented," he said in reply to a supplementary question from Wong Chen (PH-Subang) during Question Time.

Wong had asked if the Federal Government was willing to initiate talks unilaterally with Myanmar in order to seek a peaceful resolution in the region as the Five-Point Consensus allows dialogues among all parties to seek peaceful resolution.

Saifuddin said Malaysia was informed by the Asean Special Envoy that Naypyidaw was not cooperating with terms of the consensus.

"That is why... unless there is progress, it would be difficult to have the chairman of (Myanmar's) State Administration Council (SAC) at the Asean Summit (from Oct 26-28)," he said.

The 11-member SAC was formed and chaired by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to rule Myanmar in the aftermath of the Feb 1 coup that overthrew the civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

The coup saw extreme countermeasures taken by the country’s security agencies against public protests that saw many civilians killed.

Brunei’s second minister for foreign affairs Erywan Yusof was appointed Asean Special Envoy to Myanmar following several months of negotiations between the bloc and the military junta there.

The special envoy’s role was agreed upon at the Asean Leaders’ Summit in Jakarta in April, during which member states reached a consensus in finding an amicable solution for the crisis in Myanmar.

The consensus sought, among others, the immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar and constructive dialogue among all parties concerned to seek a peaceful solution in the interests of the people; as well as mediation to be facilitated by an envoy of Asean's chair, with the assistance of the secretary-general.

On a related matter, Saifuddin told the Dewan Rakyat that there are about 200,000 ethnic Rohingya refugees in Malaysia currently, the highest in South-East Asia.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2021/10/06/malaysia-willing-to-reach-out-to-myanmar-on-its-own-if-asean-consensus-becomes-unworkable-says-saifuddin