Fruitful meet: Thaksin and Anwar being photographed after their meeting. They discussed strengthening bilateral ties and revitalising Asean economies, in view of Thaksin’s appointment as informal adviser on Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship. — Photo courtesy of Anwar’s Facebook page
PETALING JAYA: Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s network of relationships across the region and his unique expertise will open opportunities for Malaysia and Asean, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said that Thaksin’s experience is valuable in addressing challenges the region is facing with greater confidence and efficacy.
“For decades, Thaksin and I have shared the belief that Malaysia and Thailand could accomplish much more together, not only for our respective nations but for the region as a whole.
“We are committed to turning that vision into reality,” he said on his Facebook post yesterday.
The Prime Minister held a meeting with Thaksin following the latter’s appointment as informal adviser on Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship.
On the meeting, Anwar said it was, among others, to discuss Thaksin’s role and capacity as informal adviser.
He said discussions with Thaksin, which he described as “engaging, wide-ranged and fruitful” also centred on critical regional priorities: revitalising economies, leveraging emerging technologies and addressing the Myanmar crisis.
Fostering peace in southern Thailand was also brought up in the discussions, the Prime Minister added.
“We also discussed ways to strengthen the already robust bilateral ties between Malaysia and Thailand, aligning them with the vision for sustainable development and regional cohesion,” he said.
Thaksin’s appointment as informal adviser on Malaysia’s chairmanship of Asean was announced on Dec 16 during a visit by Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who is Thaksin’s daughter.
Thaksin was Thailand’s prime minister from 2001 to 2006.
After he was ousted from office in 2006 for corruption and conflict of interest, he lived outside Thailand for 15 years in a self-imposed exile.
He returned in August 2023, where he was sentenced to eight years in prison but his sentence was commuted to one year by Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn a month later.
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