KUALA LUMPUR, February 21 – Malaysia and Myanmar have agreed that the Islamic State (IS) threat is real and IS may try to instill its ideology in hotspots in ASEAN.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said both countries agreed that ASEAN member states should enhance cooperation, particularly under the ASEAN Defence Minister’s Meeting (ADMM) platform to combat the threat.
Hishammuddin, who is in Myanmar for his ASEAN tour as chair of ADMM, had a meeting with his counterpart, Lt Gen Wai Lwin, Friday, and discussed various topics regarding security and defence.
He personally invited Lt Gen Wai Lwin to the 9th ADMM and the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) Exhibition in Langkawi, Kedah. “The ADMM is very important, as all 10 ASEAN defence ministers will discuss on how to meet the increasing demand of security challenges facing our region.
“Wai Lwin expressed Myanmar’s fullest support on Malaysia’s chairmanship of ADMM 2015 and believed that Malaysia will bring ASEAN solidarity to a higher level,” he said in a statement released in Kuala Lumpur, Friday.
Myanmar was encouraged to be active in the Expert Working Groups, particularly under the framework of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief and Peace Keeping Operation.
Hishammuddin had a meeting with Myanmar’s Commander in Chief of Defence Service, Gen Min Aung Hlaing and had discussion on the proposed ASEAN Peacekeepers.
“The proposed ASEAN Peacekeeping Force can garner recognition from the global community in recognising ASEAN as a single entity. Myanmar has agreed to be part of the proposed ASEAN Peacekeeping Force,” the minister said.
He said Myanmar was invited to become an observer in the Melaka Straits Patrol, which comprises a maritime security framework and the Intelligence Exchange Group model, in order to further enhance defence cooperation.
Hishammuddin later had a meeting with Myanmar’s Vice-President, Admiral Nyan Tun and took the opportunity to share Malaysia’s vision for ASEAN this year.
“We also discussed on further strengthening of bilateral relations between Myanmar and Malaysia,” he said. For the next leg of his ASEAN tour, Hishammuddin will be leaving for Cambodia Saturday and subsequently to Laos and Vietnam.
-BERNAMA
