Malaysia Gears Up for ASEAN Leadership with Focus on Inclusivity and Sustainability

By Thivyamalini Ramalu

PUTRAJAYA (Malaysia), Oct 22 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is committed to building strategic trust among nations through ongoing dialogues, diplomacy, and goodwill during its ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, said Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan.

At the unveiling of the Hibiscus (Bunga Raya) inspired logo and theme "Inclusivity and Sustainability" for the ASEAN-Malaysia Chairmanship 2025 at Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) on Tuesday, he said that by working alongside member states, Malaysia seeks to extend its economic partnerships to countries beyond its borders.

Malaysia will also continue to push for greater commitment to enhance ASEAN intra-trade and investment, while ensuring that ASEAN is able to leverage on advances in sciences, technology and innovation, and harness the benefits of digital transformation and new technologies, he said.

Highlighting the key priorities through the chairmanship, Mohamad said Malaysia will ensure that the elements of inclusivity, and sustainability, which is the theme for 2025, take centre stage in our regional community building efforts.

“This will entail greater efforts at narrowing the development gap, improving living standards while mitigating the impacts of climate change,” he said.

Laos on Oct 11 officially handed the ASEAN Chairmanship to Malaysia during the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits in Vientiane. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim accepted the ASEAN Chair gavel from his Lao counterpart, Sonexay Siphandone.

Anwar noted that Malaysia’s chairmanship will begin a new chapter under the ”ASEAN Community Vision 2045”.

In alignment with the MADANI framework, Mohamad said Malaysia has underscored the interdependent values of 'Inclusivity' and 'Sustainability' as central to its agenda during its ASEAN Chairmanship and these principles will be embedded across all spectrums of ASEAN cooperation.

In 2025, he said ASEAN will commemorate the 10th anniversary of the ASEAN Community's establishment and Malaysia intends to adopt the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, which will set strategic priorities for the next 20 years.

“I have always believed that, as a community, we have not only withstood, but prevailed, over many of our shared obstacles together through the decades. We have achieved this the ASEAN way,” he said.

Malaysia's MADANI framework, introduced by Anwar, focuses on inclusive development, good governance and national unity, guided by values like care, respect and prosperity.

Malaysia previously held the ASEAN Chair in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015.

Founded on Aug 8, 1967,  ASEAN currently consists of 10 Southeast Asian member states namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,  Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Timor-Leste’s full membership is still pending.

-- BERNAMA