PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia has expressed full support for Timor Leste’s accession as a permanent member of ASEAN.
He said Malaysia looks forward to welcoming Timor-Leste as a permanent member next year when the country assumes the chairmanship of the regional bloc.
“We will do whatever necessary to assist Timor Leste so that the process can be further facilitated and accelerated,“ he said at a joint press conference with his Timor Leste counterpart Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, here, today.
Gusmão, who assumed office in July last year, arrived yesterday for his maiden visit to the country.
Anwar said Malaysia’s full support on the matter was also conveyed to Gusmão during a bilateral meeting, held earlier today.
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Timor-Leste is currently awaiting the consensus of ASEAN member states to be accepted as a full member of the regional bloc.
Timor-Leste was recognised as an ASEAN observer state and joined the ASEAN Regional Forum in 2005 before officially applying for membership on March 4, 2011.
In 2022, ASEAN leaders gathered at the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and Related Summits in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and agreed in principle for Timor-Leste to become the bloc’s 11th member.
Timor-Leste has also been granted observer status to participate in all ASEAN Meetings, including plenary sessions.
Meanwhile, Gusmão expressed gratitude for Malaysia’s commitment to supporting Timor-Leste’s ASEAN accession during its chairmanship in next year.
He said the partnership between the two nations underscored their shared commitment to peace, stability, and development in the region.
“Talking about peace, stability and development, we also expressed our concerns about the continuing suffering of people in Ukraine and Gaza. Together, we will do everything to solve the problem,” he said.
He emphasised the importance of dialogue, tolerance and adherence to international law, noting that while Ukraine’s situation is often framed through international law, the plight of Palestinians in Gaza is ignored.
“Before and after Timor-Leste joints ASEAN, together we will fight for peace in the world,“ said Gusmão.
In a joint statement, Malaysia expressed deep appreciation to Timor-Leste for gifting a parcel of land in Dili to develop its diplomatic premises.
Both leaders welcomed the signing of the Land Concession Agreement by the Foreign Minsiters of both countries and Malaysia looks forward to commencing the development of the embassy complex at the earliest opportunity.
The two leaders also addressed the escalating crisis in Myanmar, reaffirming their commitment to the ASEAN Leaders’ Five-Point Consensus (5PC) as the guiding framework for resolving the political crisis.
They also discussed several regional issues, particularly developments in the South China Sea, emphasising the importance of continued dialogue and peace resolutions based on international law including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982).
Anwar and Gusmão expressed urgent concern over the ongoing conflict in Gaza, calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, and demanded Israel ensure unimpeded humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Both leaders also reaffirmed their support for the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, based on pre-1967 borders, Palestine’s full United Nations (UN) membership and adherence to relevant UN resolutions.
