KUALA LUMPUR: Thailand and Cambodia agreed to a ceasefire at 11pm tonight following discussions between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his two counterparts.
This came about after Anwar got on a call with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, as well as another with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet.
Armed Forces chief General Tan Sri Mohd Nizam Jaffar said the agreement was also the result of the active participation of the Malaysian-led Asean Observer Team.
In an exclusive interview with TV3, he said the AOT, working alongside their Thai counterparts, will monitor the truce.
He warned that while the ceasefire marks a "cooling off period", sporadic small arms fire could continue briefly before full calm returns — a process he likened to allowing time for tensions to settle after a race.
"The immediate goal is to ensure the ceasefire is implemented and clashes are reduced," he said.
The fresh ceasefire — following renewed talks in Bangkok and Phnom Penh — seeks to stabilise a volatile situation that has repeatedly erupted along the disputed 800km long Thailand-Cambodia border.
In July, five days of heavy fighting left at least 41 dead and displaced over 300,000 people.
A truce brokered in Malaysia on July 28, with support from global powers and regional partners, was reinforced by subsequent agreements known as the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord to withdraw heavy weapons and set up an interim observer force under the umbrella of Asean.
Yet recent weeks saw renewed skirmishes and heavy exchanges.
Nizam said Malaysian and Thai AOT observers will verify compliance, while informal talks have been proposed to resolve outstanding disputes.
He noted that the AOT mandate — originally set to expire on Jan 25 next year — may be extended if both sides demand more time for lasting peace.
"Peace is expensive, life is precious, and time is essential," he added.
Malaysia's mediation — long seen as pivotal — now faces a critical test. - NST
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