PM Anwar’s Leadership Reinforces Malaysia’s Role As Regional Peace Facilitator

By Suraidah Roslan & Ahmad Idzwan Arzmi

KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 (Bernama) -- Malaysia, under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, is emerging as a key facilitator in Southeast Asian disputes, including its latest role in brokering a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia on Monday.

As the current ASEAN Chair, Anwar’s initiative in convening the urgent talks between Thailand and Cambodia reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment to regional peace and stability, while underscoring ASEAN’s core principle of resolving disputes through dialogue and consensus.

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Foreign Policy and Regional Affairs Analyst, Peter Nicoll, said Anwar’s personal involvement sends a strong signal that Malaysia is ready to be a proactive problem solver in the region.

He pointed to Malaysia’s past peace facilitation efforts in southern Thailand and Mindanao in the southern Philippines as examples of its longstanding contribution to regional diplomacy.

“These efforts have given Malaysia a track record of constructive engagement. By stepping in once again, Anwar is reviving that legacy and signalling that Malaysia can once again be a first-call facilitator in Southeast Asian disputes.

“It also reinforces the idea of Malaysia as a bridge builder, a country that, while not dominating the region, contributes significantly to regional stability and the building of trust,” Nicoll added during an interview with Bernama TV on Malaysia’s Diplomatic Move and ASEAN Geopolitics, here on Tuesday.

By initiating and hosting the ceasefire talks to address the Cambodia-Thailand border dispute, Nicoll said Malaysia is putting ASEAN’s principle of regional self-reliance into practice — reinforcing the notion that member states can resolve disputes without resorting to external actors.

As a result of Malaysia's mediation, he said the country is now coordinating an ASEAN observer team to monitor and verify the ceasefire implementation, with further consultations among member states planned to broaden regional support.

“This, of course, carries domestic political implications for Malaysia. There are clear advantages for the Prime Minister. A successful mediation would allow Anwar to position himself not only as a reformist and technocrat, but also as a statesman actively shaping ASEAN diplomacy. It aligns well with his broader foreign policy narrative,” said Nicoll, who is also Managing Partner of Counter Risk Consultancy Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

Sharing the same view, RIGHTS Foundation Chairman Mohd Yusmadi Mohd Yusoff said Anwar’s success as a mediator between Thailand and Cambodia stems from his commitment to values-based diplomacy as ASEAN Chair, prioritising mutual understanding over predetermined outcomes.

"Anwar plays the role of a mediator without attempting to predict the outcome. Instead, he emphasises the bigger picture—that this region must be a peaceful one," he said.

Mohd Yusmadi added that the peaceful ceasefire between the two countries also aligns with the MADANI vision, where the principle of compassion is brought to the negotiation table, going beyond the typical transactional nature of diplomacy.

He noted that Anwar is sending a clear message that it is time to rethink diplomacy, not merely as a process of making deals or seeking reciprocal gains, but as an opportunity to promote shared values and lasting peace.

On Monday, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand’s Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai agreed to implement an immediate and unconditional ceasefire to ease tensions in the disputed border area, following a special meeting held in Putrajaya.

Initiated by Malaysia, the meeting was hosted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in his capacity as ASEAN Chair, and aimed to end the military conflict that had been raging along the Cambodian-Thai border since July 24.

The two Southeast Asian neighbours have long disputed an 817-kilometre stretch of undemarcated border. Tensions have flared since May 28, following a skirmish near the disputed Preah Vihear area that resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier.

The most recent hostilities began on July 24, with armed clashes reported along Cambodia’s northern border region, causing casualties on both sides.

-- BERNAMA