The five-point consensus reached at the special Asean Leaders Meeting (ALM) in Jakarta, Indonesia, last Saturday, can serve as a basis for negotiation in seeking a solution for the ongoing political turmoil in Myanmar.

Nonetheless, the Malaysian Advisory Group on Myanmar chairperson Syed Hamid Albar foresees a tough road ahead at the moment for Asean in seeking a solution for the country's woes since the military coup on Feb 1 that ended civilian rule.

“This five-point consensus looks nice on paper, but if both sides (Asean and Myanmar’s military) can accept it as a basis for negotiation, then it is fine,” the former Malaysian foreign minister told Bernama through WhatsApp when...