President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar U Min Aung Hlaing has called for Myanmar-Malaysia relations to be elevated to the next level of bilateral engagement through stronger cooperation across government, business, academia, think tanks and people-to-people sectors, stressing that bilateral ties can no longer rely solely on formal government-to-government interactions.
He made the remarks at the Malaysia-Myanmar Cooperation Dialogue held yesterday at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence in Malaysia, attended by Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Anwar bin Ibrahim, officials from the two governments, representatives of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS Malaysia) and the Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies (MISIS), as well as representatives from the private sector, media and business communities of both countries.
In his address, President U Min Aung Hlaing said the dialogue provided an opportunity to bring together representatives from government agencies, the private sector, experts, research organizations and think tanks to discuss the future of bilateral cooperation from diverse perspectives. He said the meeting aimed not only to review existing relations but also to strengthen mutual understanding and trust while exchanging views on how to take bilateral engagement to the next level.
He noted that state-to-state relations could no longer be built solely on formal government-to-government interactions, as relationships among experts, business owners, research institutions and think tanks had also become vital components. Such dialogues, operating through Track II diplomacy, could provide policymakers with valuable insights and recommendations, he said.
As fellow ASEAN members, Myanmar and Malaysia have maintained relations for many years based on mutual respect, friendship and cooperation, the President said, noting that there was promising potential for cooperation in value-added manufacturing based on agricultural and fishery products, rubber and other raw materials, as well as cold storage and logistics infrastructure, energy, renewable energy, finance, digital payments and remittances.
He also highlighted changes in the global system driven not only by major-power competition but also by geoeconomic rivalry, saying geopolitics and geoeconomics were becoming increasingly intertwined. In this context, Myanmar and Malaysia could serve as strategic partners linking the Indian Ocean with the ASEAN economic hub, he said.
The President stressed that geographical advantages should be leveraged to build connectivity, improve infrastructure, promote trade and investment and enhance human resources, adding that turning geographical advantages into economic and development advantages required the participation of wider community.
He identified stronger collaboration between think tanks as a key priority of the dialogue and encouraged closer cooperation between MISIS and ISIS Malaysia to facilitate open discussions on differing perspectives and help identify shared interests.
Future Myanmar-Malaysia relations, he said, should be built simultaneously across government, private sector, business, academic, think tank and people-to-people levels, with practical cooperation focused on bilateral trade and investment, energy and food security, supply chain connectivity, the digital economy, human resource development and people-to-people exchanges.
The President expressed his wish for the dialogue to serve as a starting point for further talks, joint research and stronger government-to-government, business-to-business and think tank-to-think tank relations. He urged all participants to turn the exchanges and recommendations into practical cooperation that would bring long-term benefits to both countries.
Earlier, during the opening session, the Executive Director of ISIS Malaysia and the Chairman of MISIS presented reports on geopolitical developments, security cooperation, investment opportunities, the outcomes of discussions held earlier that morning and plans. In his address, Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Anwar bin Ibrahim said the successful convening of the Myanmar-Malaysia Cooperation Dialogue represented a practical opportunity to elevate multi-sectoral cooperation between the two countries. He said discussions between ISIS Malaysia and MISIS could help review, reaffirm and implement cooperation across multiple domains, while complementing official talks between the two leaders and creating further opportunities for bilateral cooperation.
He also emphasized the importance of greater people-to-people engagement and expressed gratitude to President U Min Aung Hlaing for accepting his invitation to visit Malaysia. Following the dialogue, the President and the Malaysian Prime Minister warmly greeted the attendees. — MNA/TH
