KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 — Asean will continue discussions on deploying observers to Myanmar, along with other initiatives to address the crisis in the country, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
He said the bloc remains firm that the Five-Point Consensus is the primary reference for guiding regional efforts to help restore peace and stability in Myanmar.
“Regarding sending an Asean observation team, we will deliberate at the senior offices level. We reaffirmed the importance of continuity in Asean efforts vis-à-vis Myanmar and also discussed the proposal to revise the term of the Asean special envoy on Myanmar.
“Regarding the election (in Myanmar), the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (in July) agreed that elections must be fair, transparent, inclusive and credible. We urged the need for inclusive dialogue before the elections,” he said to the reporters here today.
He said Asean underscored the need to sustain momentum in its efforts on Myanmar and discussed a proposal to extend the mandate of the Asean Special Envoy to support more consistent engagement.
“We agreed to task the senior officers to further deliberate on the proposal. There are a few schools of thought on this — whether we should have a fixed tenure, for example, three years, or continue with the current practice of appointing a special envoy based on the Asean chairmanship,” he said.
Mohamad said Asean senior officials will deliberate further on the proposal and revisit the issue but stressed that there is no urgency to decide at this stage.
Myanmar’s authorities announced that an election will be held on Dec 28 despite calls to prioritise national peace and stability efforts.
Mohamad also emphasised the need to strengthen collaboration with the Asean Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre) to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those most in need, in line with Asean’s humanitarian principles.
He said Asean appreciated the contributions of its member states, external partners, the United Nations and the private sector in efforts to alleviate the humanitarian situation in Myanmar.
Following the incident, Tumpat District Police Chief, ACP Mohd Khairi Shafie said old grudges stemming from a land inheritance dispute and the circulation of a video of the suspect’s child in a compromising situation are believed to be the motive for a man being slashed to death in an incident in Kampung Kok Bedullah, Tumpat.
He said that in the incident at 11:20 pm, the 46-year-old victim was found lying in front of his house covered in a pool of blood and was confirmed dead at the scene.
“Initial investigation results found that the victim suffered severe injuries to the head and right leg, while his left hand was severed, believed to be due to being hacked with a long machete,” he said in a statement today.
Subsequently, police confiscated a long machete suspected to have been used in the attack.
The public who have information regarding the incident are urged to contact the Investigating Officer DSP Dean Jonathan Jalin at 09-7257222 or any nearby police station. — Bernama
