Politics · Other · 1 hr ago
Malaysia welcomes Myanmar leader and backs ASEAN reintegration
Malaysia gave Myanmar’s leader Min Aung Hlaing a formal welcome during his visit to Kuala Lumpur last week.
Malaysia had said the visit was to discuss refugees and migrants, not to recognize his government.
Min Aung Hlaing took power in a 2021 coup that triggered a civil war, now in its fifth year.
The war has killed as many as 100,000 people and displaced at least 3.5 million, according to monitoring groups.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim pledged to help Myanmar rejoin ASEAN, which has kept Min Aung Hlaing out of high-level meetings because he has not followed its peace plan.
Anwar also said Myanmar was ready to pay to return its citizens from Malaysia, which hosts about 193,000 Myanmar nationals, most of them Rohingya Muslims.
Critics say the welcome gives the military international legitimacy without offering a clear way to resolve the crisis; Min Aung Hlaing has also visited four other ASEAN countries, and his spokesperson said Indonesia and Brunei could be next.
Malaysia hosted Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing in Kuala Lumpur and pledged to help reintegrate Myanmar into ASEAN.
Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia would help bring Myanmar back into the regional bloc, which has excluded Min Aung Hlaing from high-level meetings.
Min Aung Hlaing said Myanmar would take back its nationals in Malaysia at its own cost, and said he would send navy ships for repatriation.
Malaysia hosts about 193,000 Myanmar nationals, most of them Rohingya Muslims.
A regional analyst said the visit risked lending international legitimacy to Myanmar’s military leadership without offering a path to resolve the country’s crisis.
- Who
- Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing.
- What
- Malaysia welcomed Min Aung Hlaing and pledged to help reintegrate Myanmar into ASEAN. He said Myanmar would repatriate its nationals from Malaysia at its own cost.
- When
- Min Aung Hlaing visited Kuala Lumpur last week; the article was published on October 16, 2026.
- Where
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Why
- Malaysia said the visit was intended to address the longstanding issue of Myanmar refugees and migrants in Malaysia.
Malaysia
Critics of the visit
ASEAN reintegration
Malaysia
Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia would do what it could to bring Myanmar back into ASEAN.
Critics of the visit
Bridget Welsh said the visit gave the military international legitimacy and offered no concrete path to resolve the crisis.
Malaysia invited Min Aung Hlaing for a visit, saying it was intended to address the issue of refugees and migrants from Myanmar.
Min Aung Hlaing visited Kuala Lumpur and received a red carpet welcome.
After an official luncheon, Anwar Ibrahim said Myanmar was prepared to take its nationals back at its own cost.
Min Aung Hlaing’s spokesperson said Indonesia and Brunei could be next.
- Malaysia's Myanmar nationals
- About 193,000
- ASEAN membership
- 11-member regional bloc
- Myanmar civil war
- In its fifth year
- Displaced people in Myanmar
- At least 3.5 million
- Myanmar leader's visit
- Kuala Lumpur, last week
What people are saying
Because the weather is favourable, I will dispatch Navy ships to repatriate them.
Malaysia will do whatever is possible to make sure that we … ultimately, take Myanmar as part of our community of nations, without prejudice, and particularly in the context of ASEAN,
It is a step back for ASEAN as an organisation, and for Myanmar,