Kuala Lumpur: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been commended as Chairman of ASEAN 2025 for his efforts in initiating dialogues with warring parties in Myanmar and looking for ways to resolve the protracted conflict.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Counter Risk Consultancy Malaysia Sdn Bhd managing partner Peter Nicoll said Anwar has initiated separate dialogues with both the military junta and the National Unity Government (NUG), indicating a move towards more proactive engagement to resolve the conflict. Additionally, ASEAN plans to dedicate upcoming meetings solely to the Myanmar conflict, aiming to revitalize the stalled peace process.

This was evident at the ongoing 46th ASEAN Summit chaired by Malaysia, where a separate meeting was held between Myanmar’s senior officials and representatives from Laos, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Although ASEAN’s initial approach has not yet yielded the desired outcome, recent initiatives may signal a willingness to adopt more assertive and inclusive strategies to address the ongoing crisis in Myanmar, Nicoll stated during a special talk show on ASEAN aired over Bernama TV.

Meanwhile, Dr. Benjamin Robin Barton, Head of School and Associate Professor in the School of Politics at University of Nottingham Malaysia, expressed a natural pessimism about Myanmar due to the lack of breakthroughs and the complex situation involving the junta and other groups. Nicoll highlighted Malaysia’s Chairmanship theme of ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’ as both an opportunity and a challenge in the context of the Myanmar crisis.

Myanmar’s exclusion from high-level meetings might appear contradictory to inclusivity, but Nicoll explained that it is about upholding ASEAN’s collective credibility and ethical responsibility. Inclusivity must encompass a commitment to include the voices and rights of all the people in Myanmar, especially those silenced since the 2021 coup. By denying the junta political legitimacy while allowing political representation, ASEAN attempts to balance engagement with principles.