From village life on the banks of the Sarawak River to shaping national policy in Putrajaya, Dato’ Sri Nancy Shukri has led with quiet strength, deep cultural grounding, and an unwavering commitment to public service. As Malaysia’s Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, she’s championed women’s empowerment, youth opportunity, and inclusive leadership.
In our Jun/Jul 2025 issue, MillionaireAsia puts the spotlight on this East Malaysian trailblazer who’s redefined what it means to lead with purpose. We follow Nancy’s journey from a childhood shaped by strong female role models to a career in politics that continues to break barriers and uplift communities.
We also continue our mission to spotlight the women shaping Southeast Asia’s future – with stories, programmes, and partnerships designed to empower, inspire, and ignite change.
Why Malaysia is Leading the Mediation between Thailand and Cambodia?
As tensions between Thailand and Cambodia reach a boiling point, Malaysia has once again stepped in, leading Asean’s newest peace effort. It’s a sign that Malaysia – and Asean – can resolve conflicts their own way, without outside interference.
As news of the ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia spreads across global media, one question lingers: why Malaysia? For some, the country’s involvement might seem like an unnecessary intrusion into a dispute between two neighbours.
But in Asean, diplomacy doesn’t work that way.
In a region as closely knit as Southeast Asia, a conflict in one corner can quickly send shockwaves across the rest.
True to its legacy of quiet diplomacy, Malaysia is once again at the forefront of regional peacebuilding, mediating between two long-feuding nations to preserve stability, protect regional ties, and prevent external powers from steering the narrative.
Tracing the roots of a century-old dispute
The territorial tension between Thailand and Cambodia stretches back more than a century, to the colonial-era border treaties between Siam and French Indochina in 1904 and 1907. What might sound like old paperwork has left behind a deeply emotional legacy tangled in identity and nationalistic pride.
At the heart of it all lie sacred sites such as the Preah Vihear and Ta Muen Thom temples, architectural marvels from the Khmer Empire that straddle the contested border.
According to an article by Sebastian Strangio in The Diplomat, the conflict stems from the legacy of Western colonialism, particularly a treaty signed between Siam and French Indochina in 1904, which initially defined the land border between the two polities and was later modified in a subsequent treaty in 1907.
But tensions heightened after the French introduced maps that diverged from those stipulated in the 1904 and 1907 treaties. The vagueness of these maps created confusion, leading to unresolved disputes that persist to this day.
Over time, competing claims, vague colonial maps, and rising nationalism on both sides have kept the issue alive, with each generation inheriting unresolved questions about heritage and sovereignty.
When history reignites: tensions at the border
Earlier this year, that dormant tension has turned deadly.
The trouble began in February, when Thai police reportedly stopped Cambodian tourists from singing their national anthem at the Prasat Ta Moan Thom temple, an incident that sparked outrage. By May, an armed clash had left a Cambodian soldier dead, and the violence escalated rapidly.
What followed was a string of cross-border exchanges involving artillery shelling, airstrikes, and rocket attacks. More than 30 people – soldiers and civilians alike – lost their lives, homes were destroyed, and thousands fled.
By late July, after months of sporadic gunfire and rising casualties, a ceasefire was finally brokered. But the question remained: who could both sides trust to keep the peace?
A region responds
Amid mounting pressure, Malaysia, holding the 2025 Asean Chairmanship, emerged as the natural mediator.
On July 27, Asean foreign ministers issued a joint statement calling for an immediate ceasefire and urging both countries to avoid further escalation.
Malaysia, long respected for its neutrality, was unanimously backed to take the lead.
Malaysia’s credibility in this role stems from something rare in geopolitics: genuine impartiality.
It has no territorial claims, no colonial baggage, and no competing interests with either Cambodia or Thailand. This neutrality, paired with Malaysia’s decades-long track record in mediating regional disputes, gives it what experts call a “neutral aura” that invites trust.
Under Article 23 of the ASEAN Charter, Malaysia’s mandate as Chair allows it to offer “good offices, conciliation, and mediation”, but only when all parties consent.
True to ASEAN’s non-interventionist ethos, Malaysia waited until both sides formally requested mediation before taking the helm.
Building peace in Putrajaya
Representatives from major powers, including U.S. Ambassador Edgard Kagan and Chinese Ambassador Ouyang Yujing, attended as observers, underscoring the global attention on Malaysia’s leadership.
Within two hours, Malaysia had helped secure a comprehensive ceasefire, including:
Global recognition and Asean unity
Malaysia’s mediation drew swift praise.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet hailed Malaysia’s intervention as “timely and decisive” while the United States, Australia, and the European Union lauded Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership in brokering peace.
Anwar’s approach – deeply-rooted in Asean solidarity – reinforced Malaysia’s global reputation for steady, values-driven diplomacy.
This is far from Malaysia’s first peace effort. From Mindanao to southern Thailand, Malaysia has quietly built decades of credibility as a mediator, one that now commands international respect.
Its election to the UN Human Rights Council in 2021 only affirmed this growing diplomatic weight.
As Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim remarked, the ceasefire is “concrete evidence of Asean’s diplomatic strength”.
By balancing calm authority with compassion, Malaysia is charting a new course for regional diplomacy: one built on unity, trust, and the belief that peace is always worth pursuing.
Hot off the press
From village life on the banks of the Sarawak River to shaping national policy in Putrajaya, Dato’ Sri Nancy Shukri has led with quiet strength, deep cultural grounding, and an unwavering commitment to public service. As Malaysia’s Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, she’s championed women’s empowerment, youth opportunity, and inclusive leadership.
In our Jun/Jul 2025 issue, MillionaireAsia puts the spotlight on this East Malaysian trailblazer who’s redefined what it means to lead with purpose. We follow Nancy’s journey from a childhood shaped by strong female role models to a career in politics that continues to break barriers and uplift communities.
We also continue our mission to spotlight the women shaping Southeast Asia’s future – with stories, programmes, and partnerships designed to empower, inspire, and ignite change.
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