PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will represent Malaysia at the in-person summit of leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in Indonesia this Saturday (April 24).
The ad hoc meeting of Asean leaders at the bloc's Jakarta headquarters is set to discuss the crisis in Myanmar following the ongoing violent crackdown on protests against the military coup.
The prime minister's attendance at the in-person summit of leaders was confirmed by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein.
"Sultan of Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah as the chairman of Asean has invited the prime minister to attend the meeting.
"And the prime minister has responded in the affirmative," he told reporters at the Foreign Ministry break fast event here yesterday evening.
Hishamuddin said he himself would be flying off to Jakarta tomorrow.
He would be meeting Brunei Foreign Minister II Datuk Seri Setia Awang Erywan Mohd Yusof and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.
"I will be there (Jakarta) on Thursday to see the preparations for the informal meeting involving Asean leaders.
"On Friday, all 10 Asean Foreign Ministers will be meeting physically before the main Asean meeting on Saturday."
Hishamuddin added that he would be receiving a call from United Nations (UN) secretary-general Antonio Guterres tonight.
"I believe the discussion will touch on the latest development in Myanmar other than Malaysia's collaboration with the UN."
At the meeting, Hishamuddin will be standing firm over the three resolutions which have been stated by Muhyiddin.
"We want the violence in Myanmar to end, to free political detainees and for Myanmar to agree and accept representatives from Asean chair-country Brunei or any secretariat countries to monitor and assist Myanmar back to normal."
Hishamuddin added he would be likely sitting next to Myanmar junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
Muhyiddin's attendance at the ad hoc meeting is also in contrast to the statement made by Thailand Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha who was reported as saying that other Asean countries would only be represented by their respective foreign ministries.
Prayuth is said to be represented by Deputy Prime Minister Don Pramudwinai, who is also Thailand's foreign minister.
Apart from Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, the Asean bloc comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam.
It was reported that Asean member countries are hoping to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis in the country where the military is blamed for the deaths of hundreds of civilians demanding democracy and the release of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi.