Kuala lumpur: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has highlighted the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord between Thailand and Cambodia as a significant reminder that peace must not be taken for granted, drawing parallels with the ongoing situations in Gaza and Ukraine.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, fresh from the 47th ASEAN Summit, Anwar emphasized the importance of dialogue and cooperation at regional levels. He asserted that these are not merely useful but essential tools for maintaining peace and prosperity. “The Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord is a reminder that peace and prosperity will not last without trust, patience and continued negotiations,” he stated, underscoring the necessity of dialogue over violence for achieving genuine peace, especially in regions like Gaza and Ukraine.

Anwar’s comments were made during Malaysia’s intervention at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Dialogue with Guests, where he praised APEC’s role in fostering openness and voluntary cooperation, as opposed to coercion, in setting global economic norms. He reiterated that both peace and prosperity must be nurtured and sustained through ongoing dialogue and trust.

Malaysia has played a key role in brokering the peace accord between Thailand and Cambodia, a contribution that has been acknowledged and lauded by the United States and other ASEAN member states. On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump, speaking from Gyeongju, commended Malaysia’s leadership in facilitating the landmark peace deal signed last week.

In his address at the APEC CEO Business Forum, Trump praised Malaysia’s mediation efforts. He described the successful signing of the peace deal, which took place on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, as a diplomatic success facilitated by Malaysia’s “beautiful facilities” and effective mediation.

Trump expressed admiration for Malaysia’s role, stating, “Malaysia was fantastic and they helped in implementing it. The prime minister was a great, great guy. Just left him… within two days, we signed the deal.” He described the transformation between the Thai and Cambodian representatives as remarkable, noting the peace accord as a “beautiful thing to see” which potentially saved millions of lives.

The Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord was signed in Kuala Lumpur by Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, with both Trump and Anwar serving as witnesses to this historic event.