Malaysia To Launch ASEAN Ahead Report, Positioning Region As Global Powerhouse

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 (Bernama) -- Malaysia, together with researchers from ASEAN member states, has produced the ASEAN Ahead: ASEAN STI Ecosystem Foresight 2035 and Beyond report through the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM), aimed at positioning the region as a global powerhouse.

Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Dr Mohammad Yusof Apdal said the report serves as a strategic blueprint outlining future pathways for the region’s science, technology and innovation (STI) ecosystem.

“This report, which will be officially launched this Friday (Oct 24) by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, stands as a testament to Malaysia’s recognised expertise and ASM’s steadfast commitment to strengthening regional scientific cooperation and collective foresight,” he said in his ministerial address at the ASM-Association of Academies and Societies of Sciences in Asia (AASSA) Workshop on Addressing Global Challenges in a Postnormal World, here today.

Also present was ASM president Datuk Dr Tengku Mohd Azzman Shariffadeen Tengku Ibrahim, who is also STI Advisor to the Prime Minister.

Elaborating, Mohammad Yusof said the report represents a regional commitment towards foresight-led planning and aims to enhance ASEAN’s preparedness to navigate complex and uncertain global challenges through collaboration, coherence and cohesion.

“Through this initiative, we are reminded that foresight is not merely about predicting the future, it is about shaping it,” he said.

Mohammad Yusof called on members of the AASSA to strengthen their national foresight initiatives and work together, adding that Malaysia stands ready to collaborate by sharing methodologies and exploring ways to harmonise data frameworks for collective resilience and shared prosperity within the region.

He said that under the 13th Malaysia Plan, a periodic megatrend analysis report developed using a foresight approach will be produced to guide and inform the implementation of research, development, commercialisation and innovation (RDCI) activities.

He noted that Malaysia’s proposal for the APEC Open Science Alliance (APECOSA) was also highlighted as part of its broader effort to promote open and responsible data sharing.

Welcomed by APEC economies, APECOSA aims to connect open-science focal points across the region by 2026.

“I invite all of us to embrace open and responsible data sharing, and we believe AASSA members can contribute meaningfully to this effort, aligning regional expertise with global initiatives and ensuring that scientific knowledge is both accessible and impactful,” he said.

The two-day workshop, jointly organised by AASSA and ASM, brought together over 100 participants and representatives from member academies and scientific societies to deliberate on science-based approaches to complex global challenges.

Meanwhile, in his welcome remarks, Tengku Mohd Azzman Shariffadeen said: “The report showcases how foresight, intelligence and shared governance mechanisms can support countries in anticipating disruptions, aligning strategic priorities, and reducing duplication of effort.”

-- BERNAMA