Ex-MP presses Wisma Putra on claims of backing Myanmar elections

Ex-MP Charles Santiago has urged Wisma Putra to clarify Malaysia’s stance on Myanmar’s upcoming elections, amid reports on recent engagements with the latter’s military junta.

He pointed to recent reports from Myanmar claiming that Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan had “expressed satisfaction” with the junta’s election preparations.

The DAP man argued that if such reports are true, Mohamad has displayed a “dangerous endorsement” of a regime that has massacred civilians, jailed political opponents, and bombed its own people.

“Any gesture that lends legitimacy to this so-called election is a betrayal of the Myanmar people and Asean’s own principles.

“To praise ‘election preparations’ in such a context is to normalise atrocity and give the generals exactly what they crave most: international recognition,” Charles (above) said in a statement today.

Yesterday, the Myanmar government claimed Malaysia has assured Asean’s support for its election slated for December this year, and has pledged to send observer teams to the polls.

State media The Global New Light of Myanmar reported that Mohamad had conveyed the matter during talks with Myanmar’s State Security and Peace Commission Chairperson, Min Aung Hlaing.

The election will be held after almost a five-year hiatus since the military coup on Feb 1, 2021.

‘No credible polls under military rule’

Charles, however, insisted that there can be no “credible elections” under a military dictatorship that continues to wage war against its citizens.

“Villages are being burned, thousands of political prisoners remain behind bars, and the junta controls the country through fear and bloodshed.

“If this report is inaccurate, the foreign minister must immediately clarify Malaysia’s position.

“Silence will only deepen suspicion that Putrajaya is shifting towards appeasement at a time when moral clarity is desperately needed,” Charles stressed.

He cautioned that if the meeting between Myanmar and Malaysian leaders did take place as reported, then Mohamad “owes” the public a full explanation.

“Why is Malaysia engaging with a regime that stands accused of crimes against humanity?

“What possible justification could there be for sending ‘election observers’ to a process designed to rubber-stamp military rule? This would not be diplomacy, but complicity,” Charles said.

He asserted that the junta’s planned elections are a mere “political theatre” meant to consolidate control and neutralise opposition under the illusion of civilian rule.

He emphasised that Malaysia’s involvement in such matters, even symbolically, would undermine regional and global efforts to hold the generals accountable for their atrocities.

“Mohamad must make it clear, now, where Malaysia stands: with the junta or with the people of Myanmar.

“At this critical moment, Malaysia cannot afford to be on the wrong side of history,” Charles added.

Sham polls

Expressing similar sentiments, the Myanmar Expert Study Group said it views the reports with “concern and suspicion”.

“The junta’s insistence on conducting elections that are neither free, fair, nor inclusive to give the Myanmar governing authorities a veneer of legitimacy is a sham. 

“Both the Malaysian prime minister and foreign minister have noted on multiple occasions that elections under conditions in Myanmar are not the best path forward and risk causing more harm than good,” the group, as convened by Universiti Malaya, noted in a statement today.

The statement, which was co-issued with  the Malaysian Advisory Group on Myanmar, also acknowledged that Mohamad’s recent visit to Naypyidaw should be viewed in the context of Malaysia’s efforts as the Asean chair. 

The groups highlighted that as Asean chair, Malaysia has consistently highlighted the regional bloc’s principled and constructive stand on Myanmar. 

Such a stance, they said, was made while pushing for cessation of violence, prioritising humanitarian assistance without discrimination, and emphasising to the junta representative that peace, not elections, is the priority.

“These reiterations underscore the importance of complying with the broad priorities of Asean’s Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar, which the junta has willfully ignored or sought to modify.

“We therefore urge the Foreign Ministry and the foreign minister to continue to uphold the principled stand that Malaysia has taken throughout its Asean chairpersonship on the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus, and to ensure that Asean’s position is not manipulated or misrepresented by the Myanmar junta,” the groups said. 

They also urged Putrajaya to shine light on the junta’s alleged lack of compliance with Asean’s Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar. 

“The junta’s recent paramotor attack on civilians who were observing the end of Buddhist Lent in Sagaing, killing children, is another chilling illustration of using counterterrorism language to justify such acts of violence. 

“The fact that an election is being organised amid a civil war and widespread - mainly manmade - humanitarian suffering runs in contrast to the Five-Point Consensus and risks making violence worse, (thus) undermining prospects for a durable and inclusive peace for the Myanmar people,” they said.

Myanmar data lawsuit hits Telenor, raising questions for CelcomDigi

LETTER | Asean leaders prefer pomp over principles

COMMENT | Rohingya in M'sia: Misunderstood and forgotten

COMMENT | Asean must face real enablers of violence in Myanmar