Malaysia To Shoulder Major Responsibility As ASEAN 2025 Chair – PM Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 (Bernama) -- Malaysia faces a significant task in 2025 as it shoulders the responsibility of leading Southeast Asia as the Chair of ASEAN, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

With the theme Inclusivity and Sustainability, the Prime Minister noted that the complexity of the current global landscape demands that ASEAN 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.

"...taking into account the need to bridge gaps, address issues faced by marginalised, impoverished or sidelined groups. This is our aim -- to ensure that ASEAN equitably enjoys and shares the prosperity without sidelining any group or region," he said.

Anwar said this in his New Year 2025 address, which was broadcast on local television channels today.

Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, said that to fulfil the responsibility as ASEAN Chair, Malaysians must collectively uphold the principle of striving for excellence by finding ways and methods to achieve excellence and strengthen national unity first.

"Before we step into the regional and international markets, our country must first be well-organised, governance must be enhanced, and leakage and corruption must be eradicated. Only then will we gain the respect of being a sovereign, independent and responsible nation.

"This is a great honour for the country and an opportunity to create a new chapter in regional and global agendas, which continue to face challenges such as the destruction, cruelty, oppression and occupation in Gaza and other critical areas," he said.

The Prime Minister also prayed for Allah's blessings in all efforts to develop the nation and successfully lead ASEAN in 2025.

Laos handed over the ASEAN chairmanship to Malaysia on Oct 11 during the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits in Vientiane. Malaysia will officially assume the ASEAN Chair on Jan 1.

Founded on Aug 8, 1967, ASEAN comprises 10 Southeast Asian nations: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Timor-Leste's membership in ASEAN is still under consideration.

-- BERNAMA