Anwar Ibrahim has set a 10 PM deadline tonight for Thailand and Cambodia to halt border clashes, dispatching an ASEAN observer team to the area and employing U.S. satellite monitoring to oversee the ceasefire, with reports to be made to ASEAN foreign ministers on 16 Dec.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, in his capacity as ASEAN Chair, has called on Thailand and Cambodia to immediately cease hostilities along their border by 10 PM local time today. He is preparing to send an ASEAN observation team on the ground to verify the situation and will use data from U.S. government satellites to monitor adherence to the ceasefire agreement.
Anwar stated in a press release that he had separate phone discussions with Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet, expressing grave concern over the escalating tensions.
Anwar said, "I have urged both sides to exercise the utmost restraint, cease all forms of fighting, and avoid any further military actions, including the use or movement of troops forward, effective from 10 PM today."
Sending ASEAN team and using U.S. satellite to enhance transparency
Anwar revealed that to support de-escalation and ensure transparency, an ASEAN observation team led by Malaysian Armed Forces Commander General Nezam Jaffar will be deployed to monitor the situation on the ground. This will be coordinated alongside U.S. satellite monitoring systems, which will commence operations simultaneously.
Data from the field observations and satellite tracking will be compiled and presented at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on 16 December, providing member states with objective and impartial information regarding the conflict.
Reports indicate that since the border clashes reignited this week, over 500,000 people in both countries have been displaced, surpassing the displacement from similar clashes earlier this year.
This round of fighting is the most severe since a five-day conflict in July that resulted in dozens of deaths and displaced approximately 300,000 people, before Anwar mediated a ceasefire together with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Anwar reiterated that Malaysia remains committed to working with ASEAN member states and the international community, emphasizing that negotiation, diplomacy, and restraint are the best paths to preserving peace and stability in the region.
Source:freemalaysiatoday
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