Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar attributed the successful agreement reached in the Thailand-Cambodia conflict to the unity of ASEAN member states. He pointed out that, because he had the mandate of other ASEAN leaders, his words carried more weight during the mediation of the Thailand-Cambodia conflict.
“Whenever I spoke with the Prime Minister of Thailand or the Prime Minister of Cambodia, I would emphasize: Look, I have the mandate and support of all my ASEAN colleagues. This gave my words more weight, and they had to take it seriously. The credit for all of this should go to ASEAN as a whole.”
He said this also marks a good start for ASEAN’s future achievements in geopolitical strategies.
Anwar expressed these remarks today (8th) in his speech at the 2025 ASEAN Day celebration in Cyberjaya.
He said that the escalation at the Cambodia-Thailand border once again reminded us that if conflicts remain unresolved, tensions will rapidly rise. As chair country, Malaysia actively promoted dialogue between the two countries and gained full support and mandate from the Sultan of Brunei and other ASEAN leaders—an outstanding achievement.
“We were able to do this because of the unity, commitment, trust, and brotherhood among leaders of ASEAN member states.”
Anwar said they had already broken the deadlock, and China as well as U.S. President Trump expressed their support for and recognition of the efforts of the chair country and ASEAN as a whole.
“This is unprecedented and highlights the strength and determination of ASEAN leaders.”
He said he was told that, in the history of global ceasefire agreements, this might be the fastest and most effective ceasefire agreement reached in decades, if not a century.
He added that the defense ministers and defense departments of Thailand and Cambodia reached the agreement after three or four days of detailed technical consultations.
He stated that the U.S. and China have pledged to provide logistical support but fully respect Malaysia's mediation in the Thailand-Cambodia conflict, and all ASEAN leaders have committed to giving their full support to ensure lasting peace.
He added that the next challenge is the Myanmar issue, which has already seen progress—at least in achieving a provisional ceasefire. The foreign minister will soon visit Myanmar together with the foreign ministers of Thailand and Indonesia.