Malaysia Strengthens Regional Ties At AMM Retreat In Langkawi

By Linda Khoo, Yasmin Ahmad Zukiman and Nurul Siti Amirah Idris

LANGKAWI, Jan 19 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan held three bilateral meetings on Sunday with his counterparts from Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia to foster deeper cooperation and strengthen bilateral relations.

On the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ (AMM) Retreat at the Langkawi International Convention Centre, Mohamad met with Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bui Thanh Son.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry noted that both ministers underscored the importance of close collaboration in achieving the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.

“They also reflected on the outcomes of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam’s successful visit to Malaysia in November 2024 and reviewed the progress of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) between their two countries.

“Preparations for the Joint Commission Meeting (JCM), to be hosted by Malaysia later this year, were also discussed,” the statement read.

Bui Thanh Son congratulated Mohamad on the successful AMM Retreat and expressed appreciation for Malaysia’s excellent hospitality and arrangements.

He further conveyed strong confidence in Malaysia’s leadership of ASEAN in 2025, pledging full support for the country’s chairmanship, theme and priorities.

In a separate meeting, Mohamad met with his Indonesian counterpart, Sugiono.

“Both ministers reiterated their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations, citing the close personal ties between the leaders of both countries and agreed on the need to address any bilateral issues harmoniously in order to foster deeper cooperation and ensure continued progress in their partnership,” it said.

Sugiono commended Malaysia for hosting the AMM Retreat and reaffirmed Indonesia’s strong support for Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship.

Later in the afternoon, Mohamad met with Singapore’s Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan to discuss the positive momentum from the retreat, looking forward to continuing this throughout the remainder of the ASEAN calendar this year.

“The (Singapore) foreign minister highlighted that Malaysia’s chairmanship would focus on developing initiatives that provide tangible benefits to ASEAN,” the statement read.

Mohamad and Balakrishnan also reviewed follow-up actions from the 11th Annual Leaders' Retreat held on Jan 7, particularly the signing of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone Agreement.

“They reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their bilateral partnership across various sectors and agreed on the importance of addressing outstanding issues in a manner that ensures win-win cooperation,” the statement added.

Balakrishnan congratulated Malaysia on the successful AMM Retreat and expressed confidence in Malaysia’s ability to lead ASEAN effectively throughout 2025.

The two-day AMM Retreat, which concluded on Sunday, marked the first major meeting under Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025, setting the stage for a productive and significant year ahead.

-- BERNAMA