Anwar's aide defends Min Aung Hlaing's visit, says dialogue part of diplomacy

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s political secretary Kamil Abdul Munim has defended Putrajaya’s engagement with Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, saying talks should not be mistaken for recognition or endorsement of his regime.

Kamil, who is also PKR Youth chief, was responding to former Klang MP Charles Santiago’s criticism that Malaysia was “rolling out the red carpet” for Min Aung Hlaing during his two-day visit despite the junta’s atrocities.

Kamil said criticism of Malaysia’s engagement with Myanmar’s leadership was legitimate, as the atrocities against the people of Myanmar cannot be whitewashed.

However, he stressed that negotiation and dialogue remained part of diplomacy, and Malaysia’s engagement with Myanmar is not limited to the junta.

Just last year, as part of Malaysia’s chairing of Asean, Anwar had also met representatives of Myanmar’s National Unity Government, the internationally recognised Myanmar government-in-exile.

“The approach is clear: engage the relevant stakeholders in seeking a way out of the crisis.

“Therefore, the phrase ‘rolling out the red carpet’ may make for an appealing political headline, but it does not explain the complexities of diplomacy,” he said.

Engagement not recognition

Kamil also emphasised that engagement should not be construed as recognition or agreement, or as turning a blind eye to atrocities, saying Malaysia had historically maintained dialogue even with parties it strongly disagreed with.

He cited the 1955 Baling Talks between Tunku Abdul Rahman and Communist Party of Malaya leader Chin Peng.

“Did that mean Tunku recognised the armed struggle of the Communist Party of Malaya? Certainly not.

“Tunku negotiated because, as a leader, he bore a greater responsibility to find a way to end the violence and save lives,” he said.

Kamil also pointed to then-prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein’s (above, left) 1974 visit to Beijing, where he met Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai (above) before Malaysia established diplomatic relations with China.

“Did Tun Razak become a communist simply because he shook hands with Mao?” he asked.

He further cited Malaysia’s role as a facilitator in peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, as well as in the southern Thailand peace process.

Similarly, Kamil said Malaysia hosting a US president with full diplomatic honours did not mean Putrajaya endorsed Washington’s policies on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars or its support for Israel in the Gaza conflict.

“In all these instances, the door to negotiations was opened not because we agreed with every party at the table, but because conflicts cannot be resolved if all channels of communication are shut,” he said.

Keep the objective in mind

Kamil said the more important question was what Malaysia was seeking from the talks.

These, he said, included an end to violence, implementation of Asean’s Five-Point Consensus, access to humanitarian assistance and inclusive political dialogue.

He added that, in the context of bilateral discussions, Malaysia was also looking to ensure that any repatriation of Myanmar nationals was carried out voluntarily, safely, and with dignity.

“We can condemn atrocities while at the same time speaking to those who have the power to stop them. The two are not contradictory.

“Diplomacy is the courage to speak with parties we disagree with when peace, regional security, and human lives are at stake,” he said.

Charles had earlier accused Anwar of undermining Asean’s position on Myanmar by giving Min Aung Hlaing an official reception during his visit to Malaysia.

He argued that welcoming the junta chief risked legitimising a government not recognised by the United Nations and could further weaken Asean’s Five-Point Consensus.

Anwar has defended Malaysia’s engagement with Myanmar as necessary to address the refugee issue, while maintaining that Malaysia and Asean are not prepared to recognise the military-led government.

Min Aung Hlaing arrived in Malaysia today, with the proposed repatriation of Myanmar nationals among the key issues expected to be discussed during his meeting with Anwar.

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