Anwar pledges closer Myanmar cooperation as repatriation concerns persist

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said after meeting Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing in Putrajaya on Thursday, 8 October, that Malaysia would do ‘whatever is possible’ to strengthen cooperation and work toward Myanmar’s fuller place in the ASEAN community. The pledge comes as Malaysia returns Myanmar nationals despite warnings about the dangers they may face amid the country’s civil war.

Anwar’s remarks expressed Malaysia’s position; the reports of the meeting do not identify an ASEAN decision to restore Myanmar’s military leaders to high-level meetings. Those leaders have been excluded from ASEAN summits since 2021 over the lack of meaningful progress on a regional peace plan, according to Channel NewsAsia (CNA).

What Anwar and Min Aung Hlaing discussed in Putrajaya

Anwar told a media briefing after the meeting that Malaysia would seek to ‘enhance this collaboration’ and ultimately take Myanmar ‘as part of our community of nations’, particularly within ASEAN, CNA reported, citing Reuters. CNA said Anwar acknowledged concerns about democratic processes in Myanmar, called for differences to be respected and described Min Aung Hlaing as willing to collaborate.

Bernama reported that Anwar welcomed Min Aung Hlaing at the Perdana Putra Complex at 9 am. The two held a private meeting before talks with their delegations. Malaysia’s foreign, defence and home ministers were among the senior officials present. Min Aung Hlaing’s two-day visit began on Wednesday, with the repatriation of Myanmar nationals from Malaysia identified in advance as one issue for discussion.

Why ASEAN still restricts Myanmar’s leaders

Min Aung Hlaing led the 2021 military coup against Myanmar’s elected government, after which the country descended into civil war. He was installed as civilian president in April 2026 following an election criticised by Western governments and rights groups, according to CNA. His Malaysia trip is part of a series of visits to ASEAN member states since he became president; CNA identified Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam as earlier destinations.

ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus calls for an immediate end to violence, dialogue among the parties, mediation by a special envoy, humanitarian assistance and a visit by the envoy’s delegation. CNA reported that Myanmar’s military leaders have remained excluded from the bloc’s high-level meetings because they have not made meaningful progress on that plan. Anwar’s willingness to engage does not, on the available reports, change those conditions or establish a timetable for restoring summit participation.

Repatriations and the safety questions facing returnees

The visit follows the return of nearly 1,500 Myanmar nationals from Malaysia days earlier, according to the Associated Press (AP). The UN refugee agency and rights groups warned that volatile conditions in Myanmar could expose returnees to persecution or forced conscription. AP reported that Malaysia’s Home Ministry said about 5,000 Myanmar nationals had agreed to staged repatriation and that 11,804 were in immigration detention at the end of August.

AP said it was unclear whether any of those returned were Rohingya. It put Malaysia’s population of refugees and asylum-seekers registered with the UN refugee agency at about 215,600, including roughly 126,000 Rohingya. Sindy Ajara, an Asia-Pacific analyst at the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data group, warned AP that returns would remain risky without meaningful action to resolve Myanmar’s civil war, particularly for Rohingya. That warning identifies a risk; the cited reports do not establish what happened to individuals after their return.

Anwar has defended repatriation as part of diplomacy toward a long-term solution, saying Malaysia cannot host refugees indefinitely and Myanmar must take responsibility for its citizens, AP reported. CNA said Anwar thanked Min Aung Hlaing for accepting the repatriation of 10,493 Myanmar nationals. At their joint news conference, Min Aung Hlaing said verified Myanmar nationals held in Malaysian detention centres would be taken back ‘as soon as possible’, according to CNA’s account of AFP reporting.

Malaysia had already begun returns despite the warnings, as reported in NewsJaws’ earlier coverage. Thursday’s development is Anwar’s public pledge to deepen cooperation after meeting Min Aung Hlaing. The cited accounts give no schedule for further returns or ASEAN action, leaving both the diplomatic path and the safety of those repatriated unresolved.