NEW YORK: Malaysia has expressed its disappointment over the United Nations' (UN) lack of action on the continued political crisis in Myanmar.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said some had even claimed that it was as if the UN Security Council had washed its hands off and left the matter to be resolved by the Asean bloc.
Speaking at the 77th UN General Assembly, Ismail Sabri said Malaysia was also disappointed that there had been no meaningful progress in the implementation of the Asean Five-Point Consensus, especially by the Myanmar's junta.
He added that it needed to be given a new lease of life and refined with a clearer framework, timeframe and an end goal.
"More importantly, the aspirations of the Myanmar people must be met," he said, adding that the political crisis in Myanmar had worsened the refugee situation in the country.
Although Malaysia had not signed the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol, Ismail Sabri said the nation still opened its doors to nearly 200,000 Rohingya refugees.
Therefore, it was the responsibility of all nations, including countries under the convention, he said, to take in more refugees.
Ismail Sabri said at the same time, Malaysia felt it was important for the world to address the root cause of the Rohingya crisis, and believed the issue would not be resolved as long as it continued.