Malaysia–Myanmar relations are foreign relations between Malaysia and Myanmar. Both are members of ASEAN and enjoy good relations. Although the relations became strained in late 2016 due to the Rohingya people issues, the relations remained stable after the meeting between both countries' armed forces chiefs to play down the issues. Myanmar currently has an embassy in Kuala Lumpur. and Malaysia has an embassy in Yangon.
History
Formal relations between the two countries were established on 1 March 1957, and the first Burma mission at the legation level was set up in Kuala Lumpur in June 1959 and later raised to the embassy level. Prior to 1988, Malaysia–Myanmar relations were friendly and were further consolidated during the administration of Tun Razak, largely due to the latter's personal dealings with Myanmar's stalwart, General Ne Win. However, the passing of Tun Razak marks a change in the closeness of the relationship.
One of the reasons is that Malaysia has placed greater emphasis on ASEAN and its relations with ASEAN member states. Myanmar's policy of self-imposed isolation, its shift to socialism after 1974, and the establishment of close relations with socialist countries may have been another reason why Malaysia began to "distance" itself from Myanmar. Relations between Malaysia and Myanmar were at their lowest point in the late 1970s and most of the 1980s. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Myanmar ended its policy of self-imposed isolation, declared the end of the socialist system, and began an open-door policy in 1989, opening up its long-closed economy to foreign business. As a result, most countries, including Malaysia, began to look for economic opportunities in Myanmar. In this context, Malaysia re-emphasised its relationship with Myanmar during Mahathir's tenure, and the two countries re-established close ties after almost a decade of diminished contact. Moreover, Myanmar has much to learn from Malaysia in terms of economic development after almost three decades of economic closure. Former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Mahathir has made several visits to Myanmar, actively promoted Myanmar's accession to ASEAN in 1997, and has been involved in the country's economy in terms of trade, investment, and national oil considerations.
Since 2003, with the deteriorating human rights situation and slow pace of political change in the country, Malaysia has distanced itself from the military government and has gradually made a number of criticisms of the country and publicly expressed its dissatisfaction with the failure of the military government to promote political change in the country. In terms of foreign investment, however, Malaysia remains the fourth largest investor in Myanmar, with investments concentrated in the oil and gas and real estate sectors.
Economic relations From 2011 to 2012, the total of Myanmar exports to Malaysia was worth over US$152.038 million, while the imports from Malaysia during the same year were worth over US$303.410 million, and the total trade reached US$455.448 million. Myanmar's ten main export items to Malaysia were rubber, fish, prawns, sesame, clothes, timber, tamarind, green gram, pigeon peas, and corn, while its ten main import items from Malaysia were oil, raw plastic ware, petroleum and chemical products, metal construction appliances, wires, medical products, electrical and electronic machinery, mechanical appliances, and crop oil. Besides that, Myanmar needs more investment from other countries, such as Malaysia, to develop the country's economy. In 2017, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in a healthcare deal was signed by the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) to promote healthcare services to Myanmar citizens in Malaysia, which will also encourage knowledge and skill transfer between doctors of the two countries.
Rohingya refugee issues Following the Rakhine State riots since 2012, thousands of Rohingya people have been in exodus from Myanmar, and this sparked the Rohingya refugee crisis in 2015 to Myanmar's neighbouring countries.
Malaysia protest to Myanmar Due to the unstoppable human exodus from Myanmar until 2016, which has also since affected Malaysia, Prime Minister Najib Razak decided to join a rally to the Myanmar embassy with the protestors gathered in Titiwangsa Stadium of Kuala Lumpur. The event was organised by Malay Muslim groups, political parties, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on 4 December to urge Myanmar to stop what has been labelled by Malaysia as a "genocide of Muslims as well as its minority people" and to call on the international community to put pressure on Myanmar. During the rally, Prime Minister Najib Razak said:
Prime Minister Najib Razak mocked the Myanmar winner Aung San Suu Kyi for her inaction over the issues, as well as issuing a response via Twitter in which he stated that "it was not my intention to interfere in Myanmar's internal affairs, but the cruelty against Rohingya had gone too far".
The Malaysian side also cancelled two friendly football matches of their U-22 team with Myanmar U-23 as well as previously threatening to pull out their team from the 2016 AFF Championship to protest Myanmar as a Group B host, where Malaysia was placed in the same group after persistent calls from the country's Muslim individuals, groups, and political parties to boycott Myanmar for their alleged persecution of the Rohingya people.
Despite various questions and conspiracies arising from the Malaysian public, the Malaysian Foreign Affairs Ministry views the recent rally joined by the Malaysian Prime Minister as legal due to the spillover effects, which became a security concern for Malaysia with the continuous arrival of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, and explained that the matter is "not just about religious issues but humanitarian concerns".
The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) said earlier, following the decision of the Myanmar government to halt its workers prior to the ongoing issues, the move will affect Malaysian industry. However, this was denied by the Malaysian deputy human resources minister, as they can look up other sources of labour from other countries.
Myanmar reactions to the protest As a reaction, Myanmar nationalists, led by activist and monk Sayadaw Pamaukkha, began to protest against the Malaysian Prime Minister's decision to join the rally. They suggested that Malaysia should "take all Rohingya people in their country and integrate them into the Malaysian society if they (the Malaysians) love the Rohingya so much, as we, the Myanmar people, don't want our race, religion, and nation to disappear due to the fast growth of the Rohingya population" (with Myanmar's previous junta administration labelling the Rohingya as immigrants from Bangladesh, especially during Operation King Dragon, with many claimed to be insurgents and illegal immigrants who fled from the Bangladesh Liberation War). The group also reminded Myanmar citizens in Malaysia to be careful, as some extreme groups and NGOs in the country have been inciting hatred of Malaysians to hate Myanmar people, adding that "they would organise a similar protest in their country to condemn the Malaysian action but not burn the Malaysian flag as had been done by some of the Malaysian protesters to the Myanmar flag in a recent rally." Earlier, before the Malaysian prime minister joined the rally, Myanmar President's Office Deputy Director and Spokesman for Myanmar President Htin Kyaw, Zaw Htay, urged Malaysia to "respect their sovereign affairs and to stop interfering in their country's affairs".
Zaw Htay has announced that the Government of Myanmar would issue an official response objecting to the Malaysian prime minister's participation in the rally and said, "Our new government is working on a solution to the Rohingya issues, and I want to say again that the Malaysian government should respect the ASEAN charter". Adding that the rally that was supported by the Malaysian leader "could stoke religious extremism and amounted to vote-seeking ahead of a Malaysian election expected soon", as well as criticising Malaysian media for giving a biased report and playing up the Rohingya issues. The Malaysian ambassador to Myanmar was summoned previously since the Malaysian government raised their concern on the issues, although Myanmar did not yet issue any instructions on a change to diplomatic posture with Malaysia. As a condemnation of the Malaysian prime minister's action, Myanmar protesters gather in Mahabandoola Park of Yangon on 5 December. The Myanmar National Monk Union also released a statement that:
With other monk members issuing a letter:
And another Myanmar protest leader rejecting international pressure on Myanmar as suggested by the Malaysian prime minister. In a statement, he said:
Advisor to former president Thein Sein, Ko Ko Hlaing accused the Malaysian prime minister of exploiting the issue to divert public attention away from corruption allegations levelled against him.
While the Myanmar Committee for the Protection of Race and Religion of Ma Ba Tha slammed the Malaysian prime minister's action for meddling and "insulting Myanmar and Aung San Suu Kyi's handling of the affairs", the group leaders said a letter will be translated and delivered to the Malaysian embassy in Yangon. A Myanmar journalist also explained that Suu Kyi is not ignoring the Rohingya plight, as has been accused by Najib, but the new administration, especially with her limited powers, as well as many other Myanmar internal issues, has hardened the process much more when Rakhine State politicians continue to disapprove of the attempts of the State Counsellor (headed by Suu Kyi) to the situation.
Prior to the ongoing issues with Malaysia, especially due to the demonstrations against Myanmar, the Myanmar Labour Department indefinitely suspended sending migrant workers to the country beginning on 7 December. Until 5 May 2017, there was still no green light from the Myanmar side to allow their workers to go to Malaysia, as there are many reported cases where Myanmar workers have been killed in Malaysia. although traffickers continue to smuggle Myanmar workers to the country.
Views from other Malaysian public, experts and United Nations rapporteur on the issues