ASEAN must prevent Myanmar from being a failed state as it has repercussions for the region, Malaysia’s former foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar said today.

The Chairman of the Malaysian Advisory Group on Myanmar said for the first time since its founding in 1967, Asean faces the prospect of one of its member states imploding and becoming a failed state.

“The impact of state failure will reverberate beyond Myanmar’s borders and pose a clear and real threat to regional peace and security.

“It is in the immediate and long-term interest of Asean to prevent state failure in Myanmar.

“Stabilising the situation in Myanmar and addressing its negative spill over effects on the entire region urgently requires strong, decisive regional leadership and diplomacy to guide Myanmar back to a path of stability, peace and democracy,” he said in a statement today.

Syed Hamid added that this weekend’s emergency meeting for Asean leaders must call for an immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar and start humanitarian works.

“The coup and conduct of the military government are in blatant violation of the Asean Charter and the Asean Human Right Declaration.

“Tatmadaw (Myanmar’s armed forces) must assume responsibility and work with Asean to resolve the crisis and prevent it from deepening further.

Asean must make it clear that it is not conferring legitimacy to the Tatmadaw’s State Administration Council but is engaging them to find solutions to the crisis,” Syed Hamid said.

He also urged Asean to call for a “humanitarian pause” to be implemented throughout the country and for an Asean Emergency Response Assessment Team (ERAT) to be deployed to conduct a rapid needs assessment in affected areas.

Humanitarian assistance should also be provided through United Nations (UN), Red Cross and non-governmental organisations.

Additionally, Asean Member States should agree to offer refuge and protection to all those feeling the country.

Another proposal is for Asean to offer mediation through an Asean Special Envoy.

Syed Hamid, who is also a former OIC special envoy to Myanmar, said that Asean countries and other affected countries like China and India should work together to prevent the rise of transnational criminal networks.

Myanmar has been going through upheaval since the armed forces ousted an elected government led by democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1.

More than 700 anti-coup protesters have been killed since. – April 22, 2021.