Marcos thanks Malaysia for peace efforts

PRESIDENT FERDINAND Marcos Jr. has thanked Malaysia for its role in peace efforts in Mindanao and called on Kuala Lumpur to continue supporting Manila in sustaining the peace in the troubled region.

Marcos, who recently met with Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Manila, said he invited Malaysia to continue supporting the Philippine government’s efforts to bring development and enhancement to the livelihood of Mindanaoans.

He commended the progress made towards achieving sustainable and inclusive peace in Mindanao, saying, it is the culmination of years of effort and sincerity among all parties, which will soon realize the dividends of peace.

“We have recognized the great contribution that Malaysia has made to the peace process in the southern Philippines. And we hope that this support that they have shown over the past few years will continue and will continue to contribute to the success of the peace process and the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region,” Marcos said.

He said the two countries, as immediate neighbors, recognize the importance of maintaining peace and security in the region. “As such, we agreed to continue our cooperation on political and security matters, rekindling the Joint Commission Meetings and joint initiatives to combat transnational crime and terrorism,” Marcos said.

The two leaders also agreed to boost security, trade and investment exchanges during their meeting in Malacañang.

“Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim and I had a cordial and productive discussion on Philippines-Malaysia bilateral cooperation, reaffirming our two countries’ desire to revitalize relations as we traverse past the pandemic then through the years towards a new normal,” Marcos said.

With the ongoing impacts of the pandemic and geopolitical upheavals challenging
the Philippines’ and Malaysia’s economies and the prospects of a global recovery, the two leaders agreed to “reinvigorate trade and investment exchanges, with a special focus on the halal industry, agriculture and food security, and the digital economy.”

Marcos said the Philippines and Malaysia, as founding members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area, have ASEAN Centrality embedded in their regional outlook.

“We have thus resolved to support development and peace-building initiatives within this group, including the importance of achieving a resolution to the situation in Myanmar,” he said.

Marcos congratulated then-newly sworn-in Anwar in a telephone call last November and expressed hopes to work with the new Malaysian leader, particularly as the Southeast Asian region tackles various challenges. 

(Bernama)

Anwar, in a Facebook page, said his visit to Manila brought back memories of when he was a student. “Manila is very special and not a foreign city for me personally,” he said.

Malaysia, along with Libya, played a crucial role in the peace talks between the Filipino government and the Moro National Liberation Front. And Malaysia was among the countries which deployed peace keepers in Mindanao to ensure the 1996 peace accord is holding in the South. (Mindanao Examiner)