On April 17, Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the rotating ASEAN Chairman, met with both the military council State Administration Council (SAC) leader Gen. Min Aung Hlaing and National Unity Government (NUG) PM Mahn Win Khaing Thann separately in order to discuss humanitarian aid intervention, due to the earthquake catastrophe devastation in central Myanmar at the end of March.

According to his social media portal during his official visit to Thailand on April 19 he writes: “Myanmar issue is also the main agenda. I took the opportunity to meet the SAC and NUG Myanmar as well as the informal advisory group to the ASEAN Chairman to hear directly the views of all parties, with the end to facilitate very urgent humanitarian access and a comprehensive stop to terrorism.”

“I emphasize the need for a principled, inclusive approach and based on the values of universal humanity. Malaysia as the Chairman of ASEAN will continue to contribute constructively towards a more sustainable and dignified solution for the people of Myanmar under the ASEAN framework.”

“The Myanmar crisis was also a central focus. I held discussions with the SAC, NUG, and the informal consultative group to the ASEAN Chair to hear their perspectives directly. Our goal is to facilitate urgent humanitarian access and bring an end to the ongoing violence.”

Moreover, on April 18, he writes: “I also informed the outcome of the meeting with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing yesterday, where I used the opportunity to reiterate the need to stop fighting and continue the ceasefire to enable access to urgent humanitarian aid to the people of Myanmar.”

“I also expressed the need to ensure humanitarian aid reaches all affected communities, irrespective of political or geographical alignment, and he expressed commitment to this matter.”

“I also held a meeting with the Informal Advisory Group to the Chairman of ASEAN, led by Dr Thaksin Shinawatra and members of the regional right-wing dignitaries, before holding a virtual meeting with U Mahn Win Khaing Than of the Government of National Unity (NUG) of Myanmar.”

“I will be presenting the results of this meeting to fellow ASEAN leaders for further action. I believe efforts to establish lasting peace in Myanmar will be more effective if mobilized under ASEAN framework without third party intervention.”

“ASEAN must create the conditions for all parties in Myanmar to be heard as peace is not the prerogative of any one faction, and the future of Myanmar must be decided by its people. I will be briefing fellow ASEAN leaders on these efforts, which I believe are best advanced within ASEAN’s framework, free from any interference.”

Other than that, NUG PM Mahn Win Khaing Thann with whom he conducted the online meeting which lasted for 45 minutes discussed humanitarian assistance and the possibility of a face-to-face meeting in Malaysia at an appropriate time, in his social media page X on April 18.

Furthermore, on April 19, NUG FM Daw Zin Mar Aung told the BBC in an interview, the discussion online with the Malaysian PM centered on development aid programs in the aftermath of earthquake catastrophe in non-SAC areas. She particularly talked about the Malaysian planned field hospital establishment with medical staffs in Sagaing area, but will largely depend on how the SAC will react to the Malaysian initiative.

Analysis

The first positive point is that ASEAN has shown its commitment to treat all stakeholders equally by meeting with both the NUG and SAC, in line with the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus.

The second positive point is that the two adversaries didn’t complained on Malaysian PM meeting both parties, which normally isn’t the case.

The third point is how the new assertiveness of ASEAN under Malaysian chairmanship to take the lead in resolving Myanmar conflict issue in the face of China’s deep and serious involvement in shaping the conflict outcome could be handled, without ruffling the Chinese feathers, especially in the wake of US-China tariff war and ASEAN may have to think twice before upsetting China.

As all know, China is bent on putting the military junta at the helm of the country, coaxing and threatening its opposition groups to fall in line with the junta’s planned elections in the coming year in January. So far, China has pressured the Kokang or Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army to withdraw back from Lashio, Military Northeastern Command, which it has captured in July 2024 to give it back to the SAC, which partially is already happening but still under process, according to the latest news.

The ultimate aim of ASEAN Chairman seems to make use of the humanitarian aid intervention into achieving humanitarian ceasefire, “where suspension of hostilities for humanitarian purposes must be agreed to by the warring parties and the need to agree their precise times and locations, routes, and who will be entitled to benefit from them,” according to the definition of Emanuela-Chiara Gillard, Associate Fellow, International Law Programme.

However, whether ASEAN will make a difference this time around will depend on how much empathy and broad-mindedness among the stakeholders are available and the determination to end the armed conflict of more than four years for the benefit of the suffering people and the devastated country.