Fulfil ‘wish list’ for peace before holding election, Asean urges Myanmar junta

Southeast Asian leaders have called on the Myanmar junta to refrain from holding elections until it satisfies a “wish list” for peace by the country’s stakeholders, as the Asean bloc wraps up a meeting of foreign ministers.

In closing remarks on Friday, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations outlined three wishes from parties, including Myanmar’s government in exile and warring factions, amid renewed calls to revive a stalled peace plan.

“We are saying that [the election] is not a priority at the moment. What is the point of having a partial election?” said Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan.

“Only part of Myanmar holds an election for the sake of telling the whole world that, look, we have an election so we are already a democratic government. That is not right.”

Mohamad cited the three wishes as the “release of the political prisoners, ceasefire, and unhindered humanitarian aid”, and said the priority now was to implement the Five-Point Consensus – a peace plan agreed in 2021 after Myanmar’s military seized power in a coup.

Mohamad also revealed plans to travel to Naypyidaw in September or October to present the “wish list” to the junta as a representative of Malaysia as Asean chair.