ASEAN TO DECIDE COLLECTIVELY ON DEPLOYMENT OF ELECTION OBSERVERS TO MYANMAR – MOHAMAD

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 (Bernama) -- Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan emphasised that ASEAN member states will collectively decide the bloc’s stance on Myanmar’s plan to hold elections and its invitation for member countries to send election observers.

He stressed that the matter would not be decided by any single country.

“We will not decide unilaterally; this is ASEAN,” he said.

“We will bring this matter to the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting for a decision. However, I anticipate that ASEAN is unlikely to agree, so there’s no need to be unduly worried,” he told reporters here on Monday.

He was asked whether Malaysia would send an observer delegation to the upcoming election.

On October 9, Mohamad said that Myanmar must conduct its upcoming elections freely, fairly, transparently and credibly, with the participation of all political parties and stakeholders across the country.

He conveyed the position during his working visit to Nay Pyi Taw, where he met with Chairman of the State Administration Council (SAC) and Acting President Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Prime Minister and Minister for National Planning U Nyo Saw, and Foreign Minister U Than Swe.

Myanmar has been facing a prolonged political and humanitarian crisis since the military overthrew the legitimately elected democratic government, the National Unity Government (NUG), on February 1, 2021.

-- BERNAMA