PUTRAJAYA, Aug 12 — Securing peace in Myanmar and addressing the refugee crisis are among Malaysia’s priorities, particularly in supporting Bangladesh, which has been burdened with hosting large numbers of displaced persons, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He stressed that immediate humanitarian assistance must be extended to refugees and victims of natural disasters, such as earthquakes, while ensuring that efforts to resolve the crisis in Myanmar remain a priority in regional cooperation.
“I commend the Bangladeshi authorities for taking the initiative in multilateral forums in New York, Qatar and here in Malaysia.
“Our Foreign Minister (Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan) will coordinate a team with Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand to visit Myanmar in the next few weeks to ensure that peace is attained and that atrocities against some ethnic minorities and the people of Myanmar can be amicably resolved.”
Anwar said this during a press conference in conjunction with the three-day official visit of Bangladesh chief adviser Muhammad Yunus to Malaysia.
Last week, Mohamad said he would lead an Asean delegation to Myanmar on September 19 to assess the latest situation in the country.
He said the delegation, which includes his counterparts from Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia, will check on the situation under the new administration following the dissolution of the junta government and the end of the state of emergency.
Meanwhile, Anwar described Yunus as a great friend of Malaysia who has made remarkable progress in ensuring peace and security in Bangladesh during the transition period, while continuing to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries in areas including trade, investment, culture and education.
Yunus, he said, is well known in Malaysia, especially for his work in uplifting the underprivileged community through microcredit initiatives, as well as for his contribution to education, particularly via the Albukhary International University in Kedah.
The social entrepreneur, economist and Nobel laureate is best known for pioneering microcredit and microfinance that provide small loans to impoverished individuals without requiring collateral, enabling them to start small businesses and break the cycle of poverty.
Anwar said Malaysia regards Bangladesh as an important partner, noting the significant contributions of Bangladeshi workers to the country’s development.
“That is why the home minister and the human resources minister have agreed on a multiple-entry visa facility to assist workers so they can visit their families while feeling secure in their jobs,” he said.
Anwar said Malaysia has also prioritised measures to help stranded Bangladeshi workers, while continuing cooperation in the energy sector through Petronas, in telecommunications through Axiata Group Bhd, and exploring new areas in the halal industry, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) research, and semiconductors.
Earlier, Yunus was accorded an official welcome at Perdana Putra.
Last year, Malaysia–Bangladesh trade rose 5.1 per cent to RM13.35 billion.
Bangladesh is Malaysia’s second-largest trading partner and export destination in South Asia, with key exports including petroleum products, palm oil and chemicals, while imports comprise textiles, footwear, petroleum products and manufactured goods.
