ASEAN Must Prioritise Regional Interests Amid Global Geopolitical Shifts – Tengku Zafrul
By Harizah Hanim Mohamed
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 17 (Bernama) – Member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) must prioritise the bloc’s collective over any members’ ties to any superpower or alternative grouping, said Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
He emphasised the importance of ASEAN consensus, uniting member nations, and speaking with one voice, while stressing that it is also important for ASEAN to actively engage with other economies.
“Several ASEAN member states are warming up to BRICS, whether through a membership or partnership. This is a development that all member states need to consider in crafting their policies,” he said in his lunchtime keynote at the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies’ (OANA) 54th Executive Board Meeting at the Royale Chulan Hotel today.
Also present were Bernama chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai; chief executive officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin; editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj; and executive editor (discharging the duties of Deputy Editor-in-Chief) for the International News Service, Mohd Shukri Ishak.
The event was also attended by the secretary-general of OANA, Zaman Rezakhan.
Tengku Zafrul further stated that in the era of US-China decoupling and bifurcation, ASEAN’s fierce neutrality and non-alignment could be the only, truly valuable factor that could ‘save’ many of the world’s critical supply chains.
“As ASEAN attracts more investment flows from superpower and other nations, ASEAN is also supporting the region’s geopolitical security, and this can only be good for this region and the world,” he added.
He elaborated that as the China+1 Strategy runs its course and superpowers decouple, the supply chain will be affected. Consequently, more multinational companies will not only diversify their suppliers and logistics providers, but also build supply chains that mirror geopolitical alliances.
“Thanks to a steady inflow of foreign investments, ASEAN has been building its industrial capacity, but this needs to happen faster.
“This is why, among our Priority Economic Deliverables (PEDs) for Malaysia’s 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,” he added.
Responding on ASEAN engagement with other economic blocs, he stated that membership or partnership with BRICS is not about pivoting to another economic bloc, proven by the fact that Malaysia has signed 16 bilateral and multilateral agreements with various blocs.
“So, it just so happened that BRICS is also one (of the blocs). So, it's not just about engaging one economic bloc, but at the same time, we are engaging (with) all; but I'm not sure why we have more attention to BRICS,” he said.
On the BRICS’ cohesiveness, Tengku Zafrul noted that while some say that BRICS lacks the cohesion necessary for long-term economic stability, ASEAN's 50-year track record clearly demonstrates how political and economic diversity can coexist while fostering peace and prosperity.
-- BERNAMA