Mizzima/NST-Oct 23
Malaysia’s New Straits Times (NST) has deleted junta leader Min Aung Hlaing’s name from its report listing attendees of the upcoming 47th ASEAN Summit, raising uncertainty over whether the Myanmar military chief will be allowed to participate. On 20 October, junta-controlled media outlets in Myanmar cited the NST’s initial report, which stated that Min Aung Hlaing was confirmed to attend the summit. However, the newspaper later removed his name from the list of leaders on 21 October, prompting questions about the accuracy of the junta’s claim. Min Aung Hlaing was permitted to attend an ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting in April 2021, two months after seizing power in a military coup. But ASEAN subsequently barred him from high-level meetings, citing the junta’s failure to implement the bloc’s Five-Point Consensus aimed at resolving Myanmar’s crisis. The 47th ASEAN Summit will be held in Kuala Lumpur from 26 to 27 October under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability.” The gathering is expected to draw several global leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Regional leaders such as Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, and Timor-Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão are also expected to attend. According to Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan, the summit will produce 84 official documents and, for the first time, include joint sessions between ASEAN foreign and economic ministers. The event will also see Timor-Leste officially sign its accession to ASEAN as a full member before the Chairmanship is handed over to the Philippines. Read more at:
