MALAYSIA’S DIPLOMATIC FOOTWORK IN MYANMAR PRAISED AS STRATEGIC BREAKTHROUGH, SAY ANALYSTS

By Nabilah Saleh

KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s successful engagement with both the Myanmar junta and the National Unity Government (NUG) has been described by analysts as a diplomatic milestone that enhances the country’s stature as a credible regional mediator ahead of its ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025.

“This is a significant breakthrough. Malaysia has been using back-channel diplomacy to bring the junta and NUG on the negotiating table,” said an Associate Professor at the Centre for Indo-Pacific Studies of Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, Dr Rahul Mishra, to Bernama.

“It signifies the diplomatic footwork Malaysia has been putting in to resolve the crisis,” added Mishra.

Echoing Mishra, foreign affairs, security and strategy analyst Collins Chong Yew Keat said Malaysia’s bold move represents a deliberate shift from “conventional models of the past”.

Chong noted that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s meetings in Bangkok with both Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and NUG representatives mark a “pragmatic yet delicate balancing act,” with Malaysia positioning itself as a neutral mediator focused on humanitarian outcomes.

“This is significant, as it exemplifies the leadership and readiness on our part to take charge and lead the grouping in finding new ways to seek breakthroughs.

“As the ASEAN chair, Malaysia is leveraging its diplomatic position to prioritise humanitarian aid and ceasefire extensions while navigating ASEAN’s internal dynamics and the junta’s pariah status within the bloc,” he said.

He added that Anwar’s framing of the engagement as a response to Myanmar’s humanitarian needs — especially after the March 2025 earthquake — allows Malaysia to create “a neutral space for dialogue” and a strategic opening to engage both sides of the conflict.

Malaysia’s efforts, including the establishment of a field hospital and the delivery of over 15 tonnes of relief supplies, underscore its broader goal of facilitating humanitarian access as a platform for political de-escalation, he added.

Both analysts highlighted that this approach strengthens Malaysia’s standing as a peacemaker in the region.

“This is a remarkable achievement and is likely to establish Malaysia as a peacemaker in the Myanmar conflict,” said Mishra.

On whether the approach signals a shift from ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus (5PC), both experts viewed Malaysia’s actions as a pragmatic evolution rather than a departure.

Mishra said: “The two are not in contradiction. If the junta agrees to implement the Five-Point Consensus, it would be a win-win for all sides. The collective voice of armed groups must also be heard while negotiating a peaceful resolution.”

Chong added that engaging both parties is essential to make the 5PC meaningful. 

“For years now, the Five-Point Consensus has never reached its potential due to the conventional barriers in place that prohibit new and unconventional approaches.

“Malaysia is now stretching the limit of the non-interference principle in an effort to improvise and seize the current diplomatic opening,” he said.

On Friday, Anwar said both Myanmar leaders have committed to halting provocations and ensuring the safety of humanitarian personnel – a key precondition for operationalising regional relief efforts. 

He has pledged to inform fellow ASEAN leaders of the outcome, thereby enhancing coordination.

-- BERNAMA