Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today clarified Malaysia’s position on the deployment of additional observers to other nations under Asean’s Interim Observer Team (IOT), stressing that it was consistent with existing agreements.
He said while some locations such as Bangkok had a sufficient number of observers, others were short-staffed and required reinforcement.
“For example, we have 10 observers in Bangkok but only two in Phnom Penh. So we said the numbers need to be increased,” he told reporters here today.
Anwar said the additional observers would not be outsiders, but would come from Asean’s own resources – particularly defence attachés and embassy staff already based in the region – to strengthen the monitoring mission.
His remarks come after Thailand’s acting prime minister Phumtham Wechayachai said yesterday he had rejected Anwar’s request to send more international observers to monitor the ceasefire along the Thai-Cambodian border.
Phumtham maintained that Thailand and Cambodia’s border conflicts were for the two countries to resolve, and that observation of the ceasefire should be limited to the Asean IOT, as agreed on at the recent general border committee meeting in Malaysia.
He said if the IOT required more manpower, it should be sourced from Asean embassies or the military attachés of the bloc’s member states.
“I told him we don’t allow outsiders to take part in the operations,” Phumtham said, adding that Anwar understood his position.
It was earlier reported that Cambodia had asked Malaysia to push for additional observers, alleging that Thai troops were attempting to provoke clashes along the frontier.
Thailand has however accused Cambodia of staging provocations, including through the use of landmines and the mobilisation of civilians near the border.
