From Rosmalis Anuar, Sharifah Hunaini, Kenny Teng Khoon Hock
VIENTIANE, Oct 12 (Bernama) – Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged member nations to promote economic prosperity for Southeast Asia and to encourage conflict parties to pursue diplomacy during the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits.
The Malaysian prime minister also boldly advocated for superpowers to encourage their warring allies to return to negotiations, addressing regional territorial and maritime disputes, the brutal Israeli attacks on Palestinians in Gaza and Lebanon, and Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, which has claimed thousands of lives.
In what was Anwar’s clear message to fellow ASEAN leaders and the region’s dialogue partners, peace is paramount and what matters most is the ordinary people and their security.
It was a significant achievement when ASEAN persuaded China to use diplomatic channels to resolve disputes in the South China Sea, avoiding any military confrontation.
Anwar’s revelation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s assurance that the matter will be handled peacefully must have come as a huge relief to the territorial claimants, including the Philippines, where both their coastal vessels have been engaged in boat-ramming incidents the past year.
This is good news for Malaysia, which now as chair of ASEAN, can work towards making further progress to steer member nations and dialogue partners engaged in conflict towards peaceful and calmer waters.
Although the symbolic baton passed by host Laos’ Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandane to Anwar is relatively small and difficult to grasp by both hands, Malaysia indeed shoulders a heavy responsibility.
Anwar has deftly set the stage for what could be a pivotal regional summit he will host in Kuala Lumpur and the need to steer the bloc through crucial regional and global challenges, which include the civil war in Myanmar.
There is a glimmer of hope, for after a lapse of three years, Yangon finally sent a representative to the Laos Summit.
Hopefully, when Malaysia chairs the meeting this time next year, it is hoped that the Myanmar head of state will attend the gathering.
Another possible feather in the cap for Anwar would be the inclusion of Timor Leste into ASEAN, making it an 11-member grouping.
Following talks with his counterpart Xanana Gusmao, Anwar expressed ASEAN’s confidence the island state’s full membership will enhance the region’s economic potential.
Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz has been tasked to help Dili overcome obstacles and expedite its membership, which is related mostly to economic regulations.
Apart from the ASEAN Summits, the prime minister attended several meetings including the Plus One Summits between ASEAN and seven Dialogue Partners, namely Australia, China, Japan, India, South Korea, the United States, Canada, as well as the ASEAN Plus Three Summit, East Asia Summit and ASEAN-United Nations (UN) Summit.
ANWAR’S INSISTENCE ON ASEAN BEING UNITED
Throughout the proceedings, Anwar repeatedly emphasised how vital ASEAN’s unity and neutrality were crucial for maintaining regional peace which cannot be taken for granted.
In his intervention at the 44th ASEAN Summit Plenary Session on Wednesday (Oct 9), he urged ASEAN member states to reject overtures that are predisposed to cause division in the region.
Anwar stressed that ASEAN must be unflinching and resolute in telling the world that it is and must remain united to continue being a key driver of regional peace, security and cooperation.
“As global tensions continue to rise and polarisation appears to prevail over integration, cracks and divisions within ASEAN run the risk of being exploited to the detriment of its centrality and cohesiveness,” he conveyed a veiled message to superpowers, cautioning against stoking tensions by pitting ASEAN members against each other.
In encouraging ASEAN dialogue partners to manage their differences to obtain positive outcomes, he pointed out that member countries cannot overstress the importance of dialogue and cooperation.
During the 19th East Asia Summit (EAS), Anwar emphasised the importance of upholding ASEAN’s principle of independence while maintaining good relations with the United States and the European Union, and also strengthening ties with China.
“At the same time, we maintain relations with Russia, which some Western countries disapprove of, but I stress that as a free and sovereign nation, we have the right to establish relations with everyone,” he said.
Anwar’s clear message emphasised that the US-Russia rivalry and the trade war between Washington and Beijing should not impact ASEAN, which remains neutral.
The EAS involves 18 countries, including the 10 ASEAN nations, Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea, and the United States.
It could be wishful thinking but hopefully, both the new president of the United States and Russian leader Vladimir Putin will at least be able to iron out their countries’ differences when Kuala Lumpur hosts the ASEAN and related summits next year.
POSITIVE VIBES FROM MYANMAR
It must be noted that ASEAN members and their dialogue partners had extensive discussions on the crisis in Myanmar.
The good news is that Yangon is beginning to open its doors to negotiations with Malaysia leading the way in finding a lasting and peaceful resolution to the civil war.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan will coordinate negotiations and increase engagements with relevant stakeholders in Myanmar.
More than that, the international community must move beyond rhetoric and take a more proactive role in supporting ASEAN’s initiatives on Myanmar.
What ASEAN wants is a region free of conflicts, especially those that stem from big power rivalries.
Approximately 4,000 people have been killed, and nearly a million residents displaced since Myanmar's civilian government was overthrown in a military coup in February 2021.
Malaysia is currently hosting around 200,000 Myanmar refugees.
INCREASING TENSIONS IN SOUTH CHINA SEA, CONCERNS ALLAYED
Increasing tensions in the South China Sea were also the centre of attention, particularly during the 27th ASEAN-China Summit which Chinese Premier Li Qiang attended.
Anwar noted Beijing’s assurance the matter will be handled peacefully, in line with the spirit of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.
The regional grouping and China have agreed to use diplomatic channels and negotiations. Anwar proposed that Beijing could use ASEAN channels, which is undoubtedly a diplomatic victory.
ANWAR CALLS FOR ISRAELI ATTACKS ON GAZA AND LEBANON TO STOP
Malaysia remains firm in condemning the atrocities committed by Israel against Palestine and continues to demand justice for the Palestinian people on international platforms, including ASEAN.
Anwar emphasised Israeli attacks on Gaza, which have now expanded to Lebanon, during his meetings with United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The attacks must stop to save innocent lives, noted the prime minister.
During the 14th ASEAN-UN Summit, Anwar stressed that there should be no exceptions for any violations of international law against any country.
But, as he pointed out, these are currently happening with impunity.
ASEAN ASPIRES TO BECOME FOURTH LARGEST ECONOMIC BLOC
ASEAN is on a positive trajectory to become the world’s fourth-largest economy by 2030 from the current fifth place.
The bloc’s gross domestic product (GDP) soared by 51 per cent to US$3.8 trillion in 2023 from US$2.5 trillion in 2015.
Regarding Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship next year, the prime minister has outlined key strategies for ASEAN. They include bolstering regional value chains and regulatory cooperation, a practical necessity given the bad experience where exports, imports and essential food supplies were cut off following lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is also crucial to expand trade and investment linkages as well as to foster digital transformation in the region.
No less important are strengthening member countries’ fundamentals and reinventing, restructuring and recalibrating their economies while leveraging each other’s strengths.
The grouping needs to redraw and secure the regional supply chain and its linkages to the global economy. Ultimately, the goal would be for ASEAN to achieve economic resilience and be on track to become the fourth-largest economy by 2030.
This means ASEAN member states must achieve greater tangible economic integration. Despite the hype over the phenomenal growth in the last few decades, Anwar has warned that “intra-ASEAN trade has remained low”.
The rhetorics must be toned down and a mindset skewed towards industriousness, especially among its 685 million citizens, must take over. To this end, member economies must leverage the upcoming upgrade of the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), set to be signed in 2025.
Apart from that, ASEAN must explore and broaden the grouping’s economic partnerships beyond the regions’ borders.
Hence, Malaysia’s proposal for the ASEANGCC + China Summit in 2025, aimed at broadening the grouping’s economic partnerships with Gulf countries, is a step in the right direction.
EXCITING AND CHALLENGING YEAR AHEAD FOR MALAYSIA IN 2025
Next year’s regional gathering will see more extensive dialogues as leaders from the oil-rich Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — will participate in the ASEAN GCC + China Summit.
Having held the ASEAN chairmanship four times in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015, Malaysia is expected to make a significant impact once again next year amid a backdrop of new and increased challenges.
In line with the MADANI concept of inclusivity, the prime minister has pledged to foster a spirit of unity among ASEAN member states, enhancing collaboration and cooperation in the region.
This is easier said than done, but Malaysia stands ready -- under Anwar’s leadership -- to strengthen Malaysia’s chairmanship and steer ASEAN not only to a much brighter economic future but a peaceful one at that.
The prime minister’s clarion call is for the benefits to trickle down to the people, which undoubtedly will be Malaysia’s thrust when it chairs the grouping’s summit.
-- BERNAMA
