Malaysia offers to invite Myanmar leader in Rohingya repatriation push

Malaysia has invited Myanmar’s military ruler for a visit to the country in a bid to expedite the repatriation of Rohingya refugees.Malaysia is offering to invite Myanmar’s military ruler for an official visit to the country in a bid to expedite the repatriation of Rohingya refugees.Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim made the offer on Wednesday, which, if accepted, would mark another step out of isolation for Myanmar’s military-backed President Min Aung Hlaing.Min Aung Hlaing, a retired general who seized power in a 2021 coup, has been on a quest ⁠for international legitimacy since becoming president in April.“I invited him to say we can be friends, we can trade, we can accept Myanmar, but Myanmar must accept them [Rohingya refugees] back,” Malaysia’s president said on a podcast.Malaysia has been one of the most vocal critics of Myanmar’s former military government and had repeatedly expressed frustration at its refusal to cease hostilities.“To me, that’s better diplomacy than just shouting angrily at Myanmar. Who’s going to take them? Where do we ‌send ‌them? They don’t even have Myanmar citizenship,” he said, adding that a different approach was needed to resolve the issue.“We, following ASEAN, don’t want direct relations with Myanmar. So who are we ‌supposed to negotiate with?”If Myanmar accepts the conditional offer, it would mark Min Aung Hlaing’s fifth visit to an ASEAN member state, after ⁠his recent visits to Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. He has also visited China, India and Russia.ASEAN has refused to recognise Myanmar’s election. Since 2021, the body has barred Myanmar’s leaders from its summits.