ASEAN Centrality Must Remain The Region’s North Star, Says PM Anwar
By Yasmin Ahmad Zukiman
KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim underscored the need for ASEAN to stay united and resilient amid growing global instability, calling on member states to reinforce ASEAN Centrality as the region’s guiding principle.
Delivering his opening remarks at the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and related meetings here Wednesday, Anwar said ASEAN must remain the region’s primary anchor for dialogue and cooperation, while continuing to offer value to its Dialogue Partners.
“ASEAN Centrality must be our North Star, as reflected in the continuous strengthening and innovation of ASEAN-led institutions.
“We must remain the region’s primary anchor for dialogue, just as our Dialogue Partners must continue to find value in engaging with us,” he said.
The Prime Minister described the current global landscape as one where old certainties are fading and new threats are emerging; hence, this meeting takes place amid the unravelling of assumptions, “where power unsettles principle, and calm can no longer be taken for granted”.
“The global order is fraying. Conflict, coercion, and mistrust now define too many relationships, and countless lives are being lost or overturned in their wake,” he said.
At the same time, Anwar expressed deep concern over ongoing crises, including the prolonged conflict in Gaza, the war in Ukraine, continued violence in parts of Africa and the worsening situation in Myanmar.
“In Gaza and Palestine, we witness the unrelenting suffering of an entire people, denied dignity and justice across generations. In Ukraine, war grinds on. Across parts of Africa, violence continues to displace and devastate. And in Myanmar, peace remains elusive, even as suffering deepens,” he said.
He also pointed to rising tensions in the Middle East, where the actions of one state against its neighbours threaten to spark a wider regional conflagration, and the risks are profound for energy security, global stability and the integrity of international law.
Anwar said that the multilateral system cannot endure if its principles are upheld only when convenient, and therefore, ASEAN must be among those who choose to stand for rules, even when others choose to retreat.
Reflecting on ASEAN’s origins, Anwar reminded delegates that the regional bloc was not built on ease or simplicity, but on the hard-earned trust between nations with complex histories.
“Yet we have preserved peace and expanded prosperity in ways few regions can equal. We did so by nurturing a habit of cooperation, a willingness to keep engaging, even when the past was difficult and the present testing,” he said.
He also stressed that ASEAN’s strength lies not in the absence of tension, but in its ability to manage it constructively.
“Our region’s strength lies not in the absence of tension, but in our commitment to manage it through mutual respect, continuous dialogue and the search for consensus. That is the ASEAN way and it must remain our guide,” he said.
Meanwhile, Anwar also expressed Malaysia’s strong support for Timor-Leste’s full accession to ASEAN, noting that its expected membership in October would mark a historic milestone.
“I urge all Member States to continue supporting Timor-Leste’s path to full integration, not only into our institutions but into our shared vision for the region’s future,” he said.
The 58th AMM and related meetings, held under Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship for 2025 with the theme ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’, will feature 24 ministerial-level meetings involving ASEAN Dialogue Partners and Sectoral Dialogue Partners.
The four-day high-level events bring together around 1,500 delegates, including foreign ministers from ASEAN member states, Timor-Leste, ASEAN Dialogue Partners, ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) participants, Sectoral Dialogue Partners and senior ASEAN Secretariat officials.
-- BERNAMA
