Malaysia Guides ASEAN Through Turbulent Year, Wraps Up Over 320 Meetings

By Nur Atiq Maisarah Suhaimi
 

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 20 (Bernama) -- On the eve of 2025, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim forewarned that Malaysia faced a formidable task of leading Southeast Asia into the new year as Chair of ASEAN.

With 'Inclusivity and Sustainability' as theme, the prime minister said the complexity of the global landscape would require ASEAN to chart new roles and directions.

"This is a significant responsibility for Malaysia, to unite the team and harness its strengths as one, ensuring that development remains sustainable," he said in his New Year 2025 address then.

As Malaysia concludes its chairmanship, the prime minister's prediction has come to fruition.

The country successfully steered the bloc through a turbulent year marked by regional tensions, global conflicts, and economic challenges. It hosted around 320 meetings nationwide and advanced initiatives across political-security, economic, and socio-cultural pillars.

Analysts said Malaysia’s chairmanship helped steer the regional bloc toward maintaining a neutral, non-aligned stance on internal challenges, while preserving ASEAN’s central role in an increasingly complex global landscape.

The Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord, which temporarily eased Cambodia-Thailand border tensions against the backdrop of the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, reinforced ASEAN’s commitment to regional peace and stability.

Speaking to Bernama, ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn said Malaysia’s chairmanship delivered commendable outcomes amid geopolitical volatility and economic uncertainty.

“Malaysia assumed the role during a truly turbulent geopolitical period, when the world was grappling with the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, alongside economic uncertainties stemming from United States (US) trade tariffs.

“It was certainly not an easy environment for ASEAN to navigate, but through shared commitment and diligence, the region was able to weather these challenges,” he said in a written interview.

Kao highlighted the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord secured in October 2025 on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit and Timor-Leste’s accession to ASEAN as important milestones.

“Prime Minister Anwar’s proactive ‘telephone diplomacy’ was vital in securing the necessary consensus from ASEAN leaders to agree to the ceasefire and subsequently sign the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord,” he said, acknowledging the risk of collapse, after the conflict took another violent turn this month.

On the economic front, Kao said ASEAN recorded encouraging progress, including the signing of the ATIGA Upgrade and the ACFTA 3.0 Upgrade Protocol.

Geostrategist and National Council of Professors Fellow Prof Dr Azmi Hassan said Malaysia strengthened ASEAN’s centrality by maintaining neutrality amid external pressures, including in addressing the situation in Gaza.

“Malaysia is also involved in the context of the Global South, BRICS, and the G20. In addressing these external issues within ASEAN, we are not taking sides but maintaining a neutral stance, which is the most significant contribution of our chairmanship,” he told Bernama.

Meanwhile, Universiti Utara Malaysia's School of International Studies Deputy Dean (Research & Innovation), Associate Professor Dr Siti Darwinda Mohamed Pero, said Malaysia stood out not only for its diplomatic achievements, but also for the “quiet confidence” which guided ASEAN through an unusually complex year.

She said Malaysia approached the chairmanship not just as a ceremonial duty but also as an opportunity to demonstrate that Southeast Asia can maintain a steady voice amid great-power rivalry, without compromising ASEAN’s commitment to neutrality.

"Malaysia balanced the high-stakes geopolitics with genuine efforts to advance regional initiatives such as the ASEAN Strategic Dialogue on Regional Autonomy and the Climate Resilience Pact.

"Its chairmanship reminded observers that ASEAN’s strength lies not in choosing sides but in creating space for dialogue, peace, and a shared regional future,” she said.

Siti Darwina added that Kuala Lumpur’s chairmanship also reached a significant milestone with Timor-Leste’s accession as ASEAN's 11th member, which symbolised the bloc’s willingness to grow, evolve, and include a young nation as part of its regional family.

Malaysia hosted around 320 ASEAN meetings throughout 2025, underscoring the scale and breadth of its stewardship. The meetings were organised across ASEAN’s three core pillars of cooperation.

The Political-Security Pillar was led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Wisma Putra). It focused on regional peace, stability, and strategic dialogue.

The Economic Pillar, overseen by the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry (MITI), centred on trade, investment, and economic integration.

The Socio-Cultural Pillar meetings were coordinated by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (MOTAC) and addressed people-to-people ties, culture, education, and sustainable development.

There were various levels of engagements. Several high-level meetings stood, including more than 10 high-level meetings involving heads of state and government held alongside the main ASEAN summits.

Among the notable special summits were the inaugural ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)-China Summit and the ASEAN-GCC Summit, both convened in May. These summits marked important milestones in ASEAN’s external relations and outreach to strategic partners.

Malaysia also hosted a series of dialogue partner summits, with dedicated sessions involving Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the United States, reinforcing ASEAN’s centrality in the evolving regional and global architecture.

Functional summits formed another key component of the 2025 calendar. The Fifth Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Summit focused on trade and economic cooperation, and the Third Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Leaders’ Meeting addressed energy transition and sustainability.

In 2025, ASEAN meetings were held in various locations nationwide, namely Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Langkawi, and Kuching. Malaysia adopted a decentralised approach to ensure broader national participation and impact.

The capital city of Kuala Lumpur as the hub hosted the 46th and 47th ASEAN Summits, cementing its role as the focal point of Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship.

Langkawi Island in Kedah hosted around 50 meetings, while Penang Island accommodated over 30.

The scale and diversity of the meetings reflected Malaysia’s commitment to ensuring the benefits of hosting were felt across the country.

On Jan 1, 2026, the Philippines takes over as the next ASEAN Chair.

Summing up Malaysia’s chairmanship, Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr commended Anwar’s leadership, describing it as “a very full agenda” that reflected Kuala Lumpur’s proactive role in guiding the bloc through global challenges.

“He (Anwar) was able to complete most, if not all, of what he had planned to… He kept us all busy,” Marcos said.

-- BERNAMA