Rare red carpet in KL for Myanmar’s leader sparks outrage, but signals shifting ASEAN stance
Myanmar’s Min Aung Hlaing visited Malaysia, met Anwar Ibrahim; no deals signed. Rights groups decried the welcome; it signals a shifting ASEAN stance, while repatriation plans raised legal concerns.
News analysis
Myanmar’s President Min Aung Hlaing (left) with Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya on Oct 8.
PHOTO: EPA
- Min Aung Hlaing ended a two-day Malaysia visit, meeting Anwar Ibrahim and discussing education, energy and healthcare, but no deals were signed.
- The visit drew anger from rights groups, who said Malaysia gave him legitimacy without demanding an end to violence or real reform.
- Malaysia and Myanmar also focused on repatriating nearly 200,000 Myanmar nationals, but critics warned deportations risk abuse, forced conscription and breach of international law.
BANGKOK – Myanmar’s Min Aung Hlaing has wrapped up an official two-day visit to Malaysia – his fifth to a regional country in 2026 – amid outcry against Putrajaya for welcoming him without extracting commitments on ending violence.
During his visit that wrapped up on Oct 8, he met Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and both agreed on advancing cooperation in sectors like education, energy and healthcare. However, no pacts were inked.
source: The Straits Times https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/rare-red-carpet-in-kl-for-myanmars-leader-sparks-outrage-but-signals-shifting-asean-stance
