• Malaysia calls for an extension of the ceasefire in Myanmar set to expire at the end of May.
• Minister Mohamad Hasan emphasizes the need to expand the ceasefire beyond currently affected areas.
• ASEAN has struggled to enforce a five-point peace plan amid ongoing violence since the 2021 coup.
• Over 6,600 people have been killed since the coup, with millions displaced due to ongoing conflict.
• The military junta continues airstrikes despite the ceasefire agreement.

Malaysia called for the extension and expansion of a post-earthquake ceasefire in Myanmar, with its current mandate set to expire at the end of May. Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan made the proposal during a recent meeting with ASEAN foreign ministers, highlighting the ongoing violence that undermines the ceasefire's effectiveness. He urged "stakeholders in Myanmar to cease hostilities, and to extend and expand the ceasefire, to facilitate the long and difficult path towards recovery, and ease the suffering of the people of Myanmar," according to India Times and Al Jazeera.

The Malaysian government, which currently holds the rotating chairmanship of ASEAN, is advocating for a more comprehensive ceasefire that covers areas beyond those directly affected by the recent earthquake that killed nearly 3,800 people in late March. Despite the ceasefire, independent monitors have reported persistent fighting and ongoing airstrikes by the junta, raising doubts about the sincerity of the truce. "The junta has continued its campaign of aerial bombardment despite the ceasefire," reports Channel News Asia and South China Morning Post.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim previously met with Myanmar's junta leader Min Aung Hlaing in April, reinforcing calls for respect of the truce as part of the ASEAN's ongoing diplomatic efforts. However, the political landscape remains challenging as the military junta prepares to hold elections by the end of the year, which opposition factions are urging the public to boycott, citing the need for broader participation. Mohamad stressed that "there was no point" in conducting elections if participation remains limited, indicating the skepticism surrounding the political process under the current regime, as highlighted by India Times and Al Jazeera.

ASEAN's ability to effectively mediate and address the conflict has faced significant hurdles. The bloc has struggled to enact a five-point peace plan agreed upon in April 2021, with Indonesia and Malaysia pushing for a more proactive role to ease the humanitarian crisis that has spilled across borders, contributing to refugee flows and rising trans-border crime. "The efforts for political dialogue are challenging due to a trust deficit," Mohamad commented during the meeting, according to Channel News Asia and South China Morning Post.