ASEAN’s Neutrality Gives Malaysia Its Golden Moment In Its Chairmanship - Tengku Zafrul 

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 9 (Bernama) -- In the era of the United States-China decoupling and deglobalisation, ASEAN’s fierce neutrality and non-alignment could be the only, truly precious factor that could ‘save’ many of the world’s critical supply chains.

Indeed, this could be ASEAN’s -- and by virtue of Malaysia’s chairmanship, the nation’s golden moment, said Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.

“In short, as ASEAN attracts more investment flows from superpowers and other nations, ASEAN is also supporting the region’s geopolitical security, and this can only be good for the world,” he said in his closing remarks at the ASEAN Economic Opinion Leaders Conference: Outlook for 2025.

Tengku Zafrul said as the China+1 Strategy runs its course, and superpowers decouple, so, too, will supply chains. 

He said ASEAN has been building its industrial capacity with the steady inflow of foreign investments, but the pace needs to be accelerated. 

“This is why, among our Priority Economic Deliverables (PEDs) for Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship, we want to champion initiatives such as developing ASEAN as a regional electric vehicle hub, as well as initiating regional cooperation on energy, minerals and semiconductors.

“So, while the grouping recognises the limitations of what can be realistically achieved in a single year, Malaysia will also do its best to ‘refresh the ASEAN spirit’ and set the momentum for achieving as much progress as possible on our PEDs,” he said.

Tengku Zafrul said Malaysia’s real contribution could be in laying the groundwork for a more cohesive, forward-looking ASEAN, with resilient mechanisms to help the bloc potentially becoming the world’s production hub and one of its most vibrant markets with its 680-million strong population.

ASEAN’s strength lies in its unity, no matter how imperfect that may be, he said, adding that Malaysia will enhance ASEAN centrality by promoting strategic trust and deepening partnerships beyond the region.

-- BERNAMA