Malaysia’s PM defends Thailand-Cambodia mediator role as tensions rise

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has insisted his country remains neutral as a mediator in the escalating border row between Thailand and Cambodia, as criticisms mount over his peacemaking role.

The backlash reflects how divisive the conflict has become, with some factions in Thailand and Cambodia viewing foreign-brokered truces as harmful to their interests. Analysts say Anwar is keen to avoid provoking such sensitivities, mindful of deep-seated distrust in Thai–Cambodian relations and Asean’s non-interference principle.

Speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Johannesburg on Saturday, Anwar said he had to “clear the air” following protests in Bangkok accusing Malaysia of meddling in Thailand’s sovereignty.

“Firstly, as neighbours, we are of course concerned [about the dispute], but we are not involved,” he said.

“We just facilitated to help them achieve a settlement or resolution to their conflict. We did not give them any specific prescription on how they should solve their problems,” Anwar said, adding that both countries considered Malaysia a “friend”.

His comments followed a demonstration held outside the Malaysian embassy in Bangkok over the weekend, where protesters accused Anwar of overstepping his earlier role as Asean chairman and interfering in Thailand’s handling of the dispute.