Despite Asean’s call to prioritise peace over a sham election, Myanmar’s military rulers appear bent on clinging to power no matter the cost.

Southeast Asian foreign ministers are gathering for their first meeting this year under the regional bloc’s new chair, Malaysia, seeking a breakthrough over Myanmar’s drawn-out civil war and territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

After three years of failed diplomacy, the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has upped the ante and warned the military junta in Myanmar to end the civil war and allow the free flow of much-needed humanitarian aid.

Southeast Asian foreign ministers told Myanmar's junta to prioritise a ceasefire in its civil war over fresh elections during a meeting in Malaysia on Sunday.

LANGKAWI: Asean foreign ministers have stressed to Myanmar that it is more important to bring about peace in the country rather than hold a national election, says Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

LANGKAWI, Malaysia - Myanmar’s military government was on Jan 19 told by Asean foreign ministers to prioritise an end to the fighting in its country over the holding of an election this year, the bloc’s chair Malaysia said.

ASEAN's fifth envoy to Myanmar, Tan Sri Othman Hashim, appointed during the bloc's meeting of foreign ministers.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan announced his appointment at the closed-door meeting of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ (AMM) Retreat here Sunday. “I would like to take this opportunity to formally inform of the appointment of Tan Sri Othman Hashim as the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar.

ASEAN foreign ministers have advised Myanmar to give priority to ending the violence in the country than holding an election. Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said they felt that there is also an urgency for Myanmar to fulfil the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) adopted by ASEAN.

BANGKOK: A Myanmar junta air strike killed 28 people, including children, and wounded 25 at a temporary detention area in western Rakhine state, an ethnic minority armed group said on Sunday.

Southeast Asian nations told Myanmar's military government on Sunday its plan to hold an election amid an escalating civil war should not be its priority, urging the junta to start dialogue and end hostilities immediately.