Kuala Lumpur: ASEAN has urged Myanmar to fully comply with the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) as a prerequisite for holding any elections in the country, said Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. He emphasized that ASEAN has conveyed a clear, strong, and consistent message to Myanmar that any discussion on elections must take place only after the full implementation of the 5PC.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohamad stated, “There’s no point having an election if it is partially participated in by people of Myanmar. That will aggregate the situation. As far as ASEAN is concerned, we very much insist upon this 5PC to be fulfilled by the State Administration Council (SAC).” He further mentioned that holding an election prematurely would simply serve as a “whitewash” in the eyes of the international community, thus not aligning with ASEAN’s priorities.

In May 2021, Myanmar’s Union Electoral Commission (UEC) indicated that an election date has been tentatively set and will be announced soon, following SAC’s announcement for elections in December. Mohamad reiterated that the 5PC remains crucial to resolving Myanmar’s political crisis, urging the military leadership to show genuine commitment to its implementation.

Mohamad also pointed out that the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) had agreed to consider a proposal for appointing a permanent ASEAN Special Envoy on Myanmar for a three-year term. This initiative aims to ensure continuity and sustained engagement in addressing Myanmar’s crisis. The current annual rotation of the Special Envoy based on the chairmanship has been seen as a hindrance to progress.

Responding to questions about ASEAN’s non-interference policy, Mohamad affirmed its standing but noted the regional implications of Myanmar’s unrest. “It has become a transnational problem, involving border crimes, money laundering, and job scams. Malaysia alone is now managing more than 200,000 Rohingya refugees,” he explained. He emphasized that ASEAN’s concern is about addressing the broader regional fallout rather than interfering in Myanmar’s internal affairs.