PM Anwar’s Diplomacy, MAF Negotiations Lead To Thailand-Cambodia Agreement - Chief Of Defence Force

By Mohd Adli Shahar

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s diplomatic efforts, coupled with continuous negotiations by the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF), are among the main factors contributing to the successful realisation of the Kuala Lumpur Accord (KL Accord) between Thailand and Cambodia, which is set to be signed on Oct 26 during the 47th ASEAN Summit.

Speaking to Bernama today, Chief of Defence Force Gen Tan Sri Mohd Nizam Jaffar said the Prime Minister played an important role in Malaysia’s capacity as ASEAN Chair by immediately engaging in negotiations with his counterparts from Thailand and Cambodia, which led to the ceasefire agreement on July 28, 2025.

“Without the Prime Minister’s influence and leadership, the ceasefire would not have been possible. The process was also supported by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan through a series of meetings and coordination with teams from the United States,” he said.

Commenting further, Mohd Nizam said the ceasefire agreement required immediate follow-up action at the military level to ensure full compliance by all parties involved.

He added that he had conducted a series of negotiations and discussions with his counterparts from Thailand and Cambodia since the start of the ceasefire, leading to the finalisation of the KL Accord.

According to him, the KL Accord is crucial to ensure that both the Thai and Cambodian armed forces reach a consensus and comply with the agreement to be signed.

“I have held numerous negotiations and discussions with my counterparts in both countries since the ceasefire began, leading to the agreement on the KL Accord, which is vital to ensure that both armed forces reach a consensus and adhere to the terms of the accord,” he said.

“To ensure compliance, the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT) was established as an initiative to monitor and verify the implementation of all agreed actions.

“Alhamdulillah, thanks to the strong ties between the Malaysian Armed Forces andand their counterparts in ASEAN countries, all parties have agreed to work together to ensure the success of the AOT. This demonstrate the clear commitment of ASEAN cooperation throughout the crisis,” said Mohd Nizam.

He expressed hope that the signing of the KL Accord would help revive economic activities for border communities of both ASEAN member countries and strengthen ties between them.

He said the border conflict between the two countries had not only strained diplomatic relations but also jeopardised the livelihoods of local communities.

“The border gates have remained closed since the onset of the crisis, disrupting the local economy, restricting freedom of movement, and hindering legitimate cross-border activities in the affected areas,” he said.

Yesterday, Anwar was reported as saying that the final signing of the agreement between Thailand and Cambodia would be witnessed by him and United States President Donald Trump.

After the ceasefire was reached on July 28, secretariat-level discussions took place between both countries to establish the terms of reference (TOR) for monitoring efforts by the Interim ASEAN Observer Team (IOT) and the AOT. These discussions eventually culminated in the Extraordinary General Border Committee (GBC) Meeting held on Aug 7, 2025.

During the Extraordinary Meeting at Wisma Perwira here, Thailand and Cambodia reaffirmed their commitment to the ceasefire along their shared border, agreeing to maintain current military positions and refrain from any increase in military deployment.

On Sept 10, a team of ten officers from the IOT departed for Cambodia to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire agreement between that country and Thailand.

The 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits will be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from Oct 26 to 28.

The meetings will discuss a range of issues concerning regional peace, economic resilience and inclusive growth under Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship theme of ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability.’

-- BERNAMA