Bangkok: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to travel to Thailand this week to meet with his Thai counterpart, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, to discuss measures aimed at cleaning and deepening the Sungai Golok. This river, which flows through densely populated areas on both sides of the border, has been a significant concern due to its contribution to flooding in southern Thailand and Kelantan.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Anwar, who also serves as Malaysia’s Finance Minister, indicated that the meeting in Bangkok would follow the official visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Malaysia. The discussions are set to include flood mitigation and dredging operations that are essential for addressing the flooding issues caused by the river.
In his recent address at the Finance Ministry’s monthly assembly, Anwar highlighted the importance of these measures. The event was attended by Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan and Treasury secretary-general Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican.
Additionally, Anwar is expected to meet Myanmar’s junta leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, in Bangkok on Thursday. The agenda for this meeting includes urging the junta to extend the current ceasefire, which is crucial for allowing humanitarian aid to reach victims of the recent earthquake in Myanmar.
Anwar emphasized that for the first time, an ASEAN leader is meeting with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the Chairman of the State Administration Council (SAC). While ASEAN remains committed to the Five-Point Consensus for engaging with Myanmar, this meeting is being conducted purely on humanitarian grounds.
The Malaysian Cabinet has agreed to continue providing assistance to Myanmar, including the establishment of a temporary field hospital run by the Malaysian Armed Forces. Despite some skepticism regarding Malaysia’s aid efforts when there are local needs, Anwar stressed the importance of addressing instability in Myanmar due to its direct implications for Malaysia, including human trafficking issues.
Anwar expressed gratitude towards General Min Aung Hlaing for agreeing to meet in Bangkok, even though April 17 is a significant religious holiday in Myanmar. This agreement illustrates respect for Malaysia and a willingness to engage in dialogue.
During their phone call, Anwar made it clear that any assistance would be contingent upon the suspension of military operations. He successfully called for a ceasefire, which Myanmar announced would be in place until April 22. Anwar aims to push for an extension of this ceasefire during his upcoming meeting on April 17.