Malaysia Focuses On Promoting Regional Peace, Stability At ASEAN Summits - Ambassador

From Sharifah Hunaini Syed Ismail and Rosmalis Anuar

VIENTIANE, Oct 7 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will focus on efforts to promote regional peace and stability in the face of increasingly challenging geopolitical evolution during the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits here in the Laotian capital.

Malaysia's Ambassador to Laos, Edi Irwan Mahmud, stated that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who will deliver the country's statement at the summit, is also expected to address matters relating to regional economic integration, digitalisation and new technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), and the welfare of the people and ASEAN citizens as a whole.

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“Regional and international issues including the South China Sea, the crisis in Myanmar, Gaza, and Israel’s action in the Middle East that violate international law will also be highlighted,” he told the Malaysian media ahead of Anwar’s arrival to lead the Malaysian delegation to the summits scheduled for Oct 9 to 11.

He said that Malaysia will continue to assert a firm and constructive stance on the South China Sea issue through various related diplomatic channels, including the ASEAN platform, to ensure that the country's sovereignty rights and interests remain preserved.

On the conflict in Myanmar, he said the Five Point Consensus (5PC) will remain ASEAN's primary reference in addressing the political crisis in the country and that efforts to facilitate a sustainable peaceful resolution in Myanmar based on that consensus will continue.

Edi Irwan said that the Prime Minister will arrive in Vientiane tomorrow, accompanied by his wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, and joined by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, as well as Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.

While in Vientiane, Anwar will also attend summits with seven ASEAN Dialogue Partners, namely Australia, China, Japan, India, South Korea, the United States, and Canada, as well as the ASEAN Plus Three Summit, the East Asia Summit, and the ASEAN-United Nations (UN) Summit.

He said that Anwar, along with other ASEAN leaders, is also scheduled to hold meetings with representatives from the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), ASEAN Youth representatives, and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC) on Oct 9.

Edi Irwan said Malaysia’s participation in the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits will also allow the country to demonstrate its strong commitment to various issues, such as the vision for building the ASEAN Community 2025, ASEAN's relationships with external partners, as well as increasingly challenging regional and international issues.

On the role Laos has played during its ASEAN chairmanship, the ambassador noted that Laos has shown strong leadership in advancing the regional bloc's direction, in line with the theme “ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience.”

Edi Irwan said that this focus has enhanced trade and investment initiatives, as well as more dynamic cooperation, creating opportunities for all member countries to equally benefit from ASEAN's ongoing collective growth.

“These initiatives are important in ensuring that ASEAN remains a relevant institution in promoting regional stability, growth, and prosperity,” he added.

Laos, as the 2024 ASEAN Chair, will hand over the post to Malaysia as the 2025 ASEAN Chair during the closing ceremony of the Summits on Oct 11.

-- BERNAMA