Malaysian PM Anwar says Thailand, Cambodia keen to end conflict

[KUALA LUMPUR] Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he has been in contact with the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia, both of whom have said they want to resolve their border clashes as soon as possible.

Foreign ministers from South-east Asia meeting next week will seek to convince both countries that peace is imperative, Anwar told reporters Wednesday in Malaysia’s administrative capital of Putrajaya. The foreign ministers’ meeting had been scheduled for this week, but was postponed to Dec 22 following a request from both Thailand and Cambodia.

Anwar, this year’s chair of the Association of South-east Asian Nation, has been at the centre of efforts to mediate a ceasefire between the two countries, reinforced by a peace accord signed before US President Donald Trump in Kuala Lumpur in October.

The ceasefire was short-lived, though, with clashes along the 800-kilometre border resuming earlier this month, followed by Thai airstrikes on Cambodian military targets. More than half a million people have fled the area because of the fighting.

Anwar also addressed domestic issues in Wednesday’s (Dec 17) briefing. He said the government can’t be too dependent on dividend payouts from Petroliam Nasional as the state energy giant’s contribution to official revenue will fall with the slump in oil prices. Malaysia will need new business entities to generate more revenues for the government, he said.

Petronas is expected to contribute RM20 billion (S$6.32 billion) to state coffers in 2026, down 38 per cent from this year’s payment, the Finance Ministry said in October.

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Anwar also doused speculation he may call an early election, saying his priority was on implementing reforms and addressing cost of living issues for Malaysians. An election would be “better later,” he said.

Elections in Malaysia are due by early 2028. BLOOMBERG