Indonesia-Singapore Leaders Call Out Myanmar for Slow Implementation of 5PC

Liputan6.com, Singapura - President Joko Widodo of Indonesia and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore met in Singapore to discuss tech industries, energy, the planned new capital of Indonesia, and the Myanmar issue. Both leaders express regret toward the administration in Myanmar for not fully implementing the Five-Point Consensus (5PC). 

5PC has been the favorite solution from the ASEAN countries for Myanmar since 2021. The first point is calling for "immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar and all parties shall exercise utmost restraint".

So far, Myanmar hardly follows the 5PC as evidenced by the sheer violence from the military junta.

"On Myanmar, we regret, we both regret the lack of progress in ASEAN's Five Point Consensus. Singapore will continue working with Indonesia and with ASEAN members plus ASEAN's partners like the UN for the full implementation of 5 Point Consensus," said PM Lee Hsien Loong in his statement, Thursday (16/3/2023). 

Indonesia is currently the chairman of ASEAN 2023. Previously, Minister for Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi expressed that she did not want if the process of ASEAN 2023 was "held hostage" by the Myanmar issue. 

President Widodo said in Singapore that Indonesia will always support an inclusive national dialogue in Myanmar. He also asked Myanmar to keep open the channel for humanitarian aid.

He emphasized that the priority of ASEAN 2023 is to make the region relevant again. 

"The priority of Indonesian chairmanship in ASEAN is to make ASEAN stay important and relevant for its people and the world. Safeguarding unity and ASEAN centrality to stay as the engine of peace and stability in the region, and to make Southeast Asia continue as the center of economic growth," said President Widodo.

Moreover, both leaders also agree to support Timor Leste's membership in ASEAN. Timor Leste has been admitted "in principle" into ASEAN in 2022, however they still haven't become a full member. 

In the upcoming ASEAN 2023 summit, Indonesia and other ASEAN countries are expected to provide the road map for Timor Leste to gain the full membership.