KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 5 (The Star): Putrajaya is prepared to send a monitoring team to the Thailand-Cambodia border if requested by both countries, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

However, the Prime Minister said that the decision regarding military presence for monitoring purposes will be made later as the situation along the borders is currently under control.

“Whether military presence is needed for monitoring will be decided later. So far, the situation remains under control, although it is highly sensitive and tense.

“Currently, we have satellites assisting in monitoring, and there is an agreement that this will be coordinated by the Malaysian Defence Attaché.

“The Defence Attaché, along with Asean countries, is only monitoring from a distance,” he said during the Prime Minister’s Question Time at the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Aug 5).

He was responding to Rodiyah Sapiee (GPS–Batang Sadong), who asked about Malaysia's role in facilitating peace talks and a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia.

Anwar also said that so far both countries only requested Malaysia to coordinate further talks among the defence senior officials in Kuala Lumpur, with the decision set to be reached on or by Thursday (Aug 7).

In a supplementary question by Rodiyah on whether there should be similar peace frameworks to address such disputes through the Asean Regional Forum, Anwar said that it was still too early to decide.

“In our decision that I conveyed to Prime Minister Hun Manet of Cambodia and Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai of Thailand, we want both of them to agree and reach a final consensus, with Malaysia as a witness, and then be supported by all Asean countries,” he added.

Earlier, Anwar expressed gratitude to all parties, including Opposition MPs, for their support of the Malaysia-led ceasefire.

On July 28, Thailand and Cambodia agreed to an unconditional and immediate ceasefire following a special meeting in Putrajaya chaired by Anwar.

Photo from The Star