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Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called for coordinated action by ministries and government agencies to implement understandings reached during Malaysia-Myanmar bilateral talks, stressing the need for effective measures to address the refugee crisis, including the Rohingya issue.
Anwar made the remarks at the Malaysia-Myanmar Cooperation Dialogue at Kompleks Seri Perdana in Kuala Lumpur, following his bilateral meeting and joint press conference with Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing.
The dialogue was organised by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia.
Anwar said the issues discussed during his one-to-one meeting and bilateral talks with Min Aung Hlaing must be followed by concrete action.
“Discussions and agreements must not remain on paper. The relevant ministries and government agencies must work actively and in a coordinated manner to translate the understandings reached into tangible outcomes,” he said.
He also stressed the importance of greater participation by academics, researchers, policy institutions and business communities from both countries in strengthening mutual understanding and cooperation.
Sustained dialogue among these stakeholders, he said, could help deepen bilateral relations and create new avenues for practical cooperation.
Anwar identified the situation of Myanmar refugees residing in Malaysia as an important component of bilateral cooperation. He stressed the need for effective coordination among relevant parties to address the challenges arising from the refugee situation.
He said the Malaysian government supported such dialogues and initiatives and would continue to encourage wider participation by knowledge-based institutions, researchers, academics and the business community.
Broader participation, he said, would help turn issues raised during the dialogue into practical cooperation and ensure that the benefits were felt directly by people in both countries.
Anwar further said open and constructive dialogue, coupled with sincere efforts to implement agreed actions, would strengthen mutual trust between Malaysia and Myanmar.
Such efforts, he added, could help address existing challenges while expanding areas of cooperation capable of delivering tangible benefits to the people of both countries.