WE, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) namely Brunei Darussalam, the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Republic of Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, on the occasion of the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 26-28 October 2025;
COGNISANT of the growing and pressing need to address global and transboundary environmental concerns, in particular, the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution, and to advance the right to a safe, clean, healthy, and sustainable environment;
WE, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) namely Brunei Darussalam, the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Republic of Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, on the occasion of the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 26-28 October 2025;
COGNISANT of the growing and pressing need to address global and transboundary environmental concerns, in particular, the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution, and to advance the right to a safe, clean, healthy, and sustainable environment;
Malaysia, as Chair of ASEAN, is following with deep concern the clashes between Thailand and Cambodia’s military troops at the disputed border on 24 July 2025 which has resulted in casualties. We urge both parties to exercise utmost restraint and to take immediate steps to de-escalate tensions.
Malaysia wishes to underscore the importance of resolving the border dispute through dialogue and diplomacy in the spirit of ASEAN solidarity and good neighbourliness.
The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has reached out to H.E. Hun Manet, the Prime Minister of Cambodia, and H.E. Phumtham Wechayachai, Acting Prime Minister of Thailand, and appealed directly to both leaders for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further hostilities and to create space for peaceful dialogue and diplomatic resolution. Malaysia stands ready to offer the assistance of the good offices of the ASEAN Chair in facilitating an amicable way forward to address the issue that is acceptable to both parties.
Please see below quotes from Charles Santiago, APHR Chair and a Malaysian MP, on the planned visit to Myanmar by Prak Sokhonn, Cambodian Foreign Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and ASEAN Special Envoy on Myanmar, from 21 to 23 March 2022.
“It is absolutely disgraceful that in a week when the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner has released such a damning first report on conditions in Myanmar since the coup, that the Cambodian government of Prime Minister Hun Sen is once again normalizing the illegal junta in Myanmar on multiple levels, having already invited a Myanmar military delegation to the country this week. Hun Sen and Min Aung Hlaing’s contempt for the collective will of ASEAN is seriously damaging the reputation of the bloc and the region.”
“As ASEAN chair, it is in the Cambodian government’s best interests to strengthen its own, and ASEAN’s, credibility by remaining fully committed to the Five-Point Consensus. It should provide a roadmap to explain how it plans to progress the agreed action points. Instead, Prak Sokhonn’s visit, which comes without any conditions or demands on the junta to meet its obligations under the Five Point Consensus, is a betrayal of the collective decision of ASEAN, and the will of the Myanmar people. We all witnessed how PM Hun Sen’s similarly condition-free visit in January did nothing to deter, and possibly emboldened, the junta to undertake operations the very next day that may amount to crimes against humanity. Cambodia’s continued reckless departure from the ASEAN consensus puts more innocent Myanmar people’s lives at risk from this junta.”
“It is ridiculous that the ASEAN Special Envoy says his visit to Myanmar is aimed at “creating a favourable condition” to end the violence. It is way past time to stop holding hands with these accused war criminals. ASEAN and its Chair must demand the military junta cease all violence and attacks immediately against the people, in line with the five-point consensus agreed by the leaders of ASEAN Member States. Anything less risks giving the military council a licence to commit further crimes against humanity.”
Introduction ANFREL started publishing the monthly brief on the countries under a restrictive environment in April 2021 to provide an insight into the human rights and democracy situation in these countries. As usual, they will cover issues related to elections and civil and political rights in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar and Hong Kong.
ANFREL will start publishing this brief to provide an insight into the human rights and democracy situation in the countries facing democratic regression. In this series, they have covered Cambodia, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Hong Kong. Please click on the image below to access the full brief.
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