Kuala Lumpur: Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM) welcomes Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s diplomatic initiative in addressing the protracted humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, which is seen as an important step in building trust and lasting solutions in the region.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, ABIM president Ahmad Fahmi Mohd Samsudin stated that the inclusive diplomatic approach, including a meeting with an informal advisory group to the ASEAN chairman in Bangkok, Thailand, clearly shows Malaysia’s commitment to ensuring peace and open dialogue continues. He emphasized that the virtual discussion session with Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG) also enabled humanitarian aid to be channeled to the people of Myanmar affected by the recent earthquake.

Ahmad Fahmi highlighted Malaysia’s role as an important step in building trust and paving the way for a just and lasting solution after Myanmar has long been sidelined by internal strife. He described the initiative as a high-level diplomatic model that should be the main thrust among ASEAN countries.

He further explained that the efforts of interaction and dialogue with Myanmar have succeeded in stopping the armed conflict on humanitarian grounds and freeing thousands of political prisoners. This development opens up the space to devise a more comprehensive solution to the humanitarian crisis, especially involving several communities in Myanmar, including the Rohingya, which has burdened regional countries.

In this regard, Ahmad Fahmi suggested that Malaysia should continue to strengthen ASEAN’s role as a more proactive and effective diplomatic platform, particularly in resolving the protracted Rohingya refugee issue. He stressed that Malaysia, as the ASEAN Chairmanship, should maintain negotiations and dialogue with other stakeholder groups in Myanmar, continuing to play a consistent role in upholding human rights at the regional level by leveraging diplomatic power to make changes.