Malaysia has commenced its 2025 Asean Chairmanship by bolstering regional and international cooperation through visits from key leaders of neighbouring countries, including Singapore, Indonesia, and Japan, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Delivering the keynote address at the Malaysian Economic Forum on Thursday (Jan 9), Anwar highlighted that the Asean Chairmanship presents a valuable opportunity to strengthen the regional network, benefiting Malaysia and its partners across Southeast Asia.
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Delivering the keynote address at the Malaysian Economic Forum on Thursday (Jan 9), Anwar highlighted that the Asean Chairmanship presents a valuable opportunity to strengthen the regional network, benefiting Malaysia and its partners across Southeast Asia.
WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news
SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar
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NewsTranscript
00:00Congratulations on the launch of the Parliament of Malaysia 2025.
00:30We want to strengthen our cooperation with our neighbours.
00:35With the Prime Minister of Singapore, Lawrence Wong,
00:38we launched the RASAKSA programme for the construction of the Johor-Singapore Economic Zone,
00:46which is also a focus of strength for Johor-Singapore and its surroundings.
00:54Soon, the President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, will come to visit me
01:02while having lunch with me and then go home because his official visit is at the end of the month.
01:09But the important thing is our efforts to ensure that Indonesia and Malaysia
01:21work together to increase economic strength.
01:25And among them is cooperation with the main companies in Indonesia and the treasuries in Malaysia,
01:33including in the field of digital, which we emphasize as a digital transformation.
01:41Tomorrow, Prime Minister of Japan, Ishiba, will arrive in Malaysia
01:48and we will discuss several issues of investment, trade and also a new plan
01:56that is very critical in terms of energy transition.
02:01It will be led by Prime Minister of Sarawak, Bang Joe, Petros and Petronas.
02:10And we hope that this discussion will make Malaysia, especially Sarawak,
02:17as the energy hub for this year.
02:22Before that, while taking a few days off in Langkawi,
02:27I had a chance to discuss with Dr. Taksin, the Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand,
02:33who will help me in managing ASEAN to increase cooperation with Thailand
02:45and the countries that were previously considered as Indo-China,
02:50including in the field of microchips, semiconductors, but also in the field of blockchain.
03:03This is also a field that we must not only embrace,
03:12but also handle as a reality that cannot be undone.
03:18Coming to 2025, we are seeing the tail end of a gripping hegemony,
03:25where the levers of economic power and domination have been in the hands of a select few.
03:34One that had characterised the world, or the world economic order,
03:41defined by the principles of political economy of the West
03:46and well manifested in the Bretton Woods and related institutions.
03:53But as the superpowers retreat from responsibilities towards economic isolationism,
04:00that was referred to, building walls of protectionism and isolationism,
04:07while still chanting the mantra of a rule-based world economic order,
04:14we are seeing a divergence opening.
04:17And that is the rare opportunity to recalibrate policy positions towards economic pluralism,
04:27cooperation across multilateral platforms, and decisions infused with a moral conscience.
04:36Then, the relevance of foreign economic Malaysia.
04:41So is this term and shift of ASEAN coming at a very opportune and challenging moment,
04:50because Asia has become the centre of the global economy,
04:54and ASEAN is projected to be the fourth largest economic bloc in the world.
05:00No, the lion's share of global growth will stem from a combination of ASEAN, India and China,
05:09collaborating with the West United States and Europe,
05:13resulting in a burgeoning middle class and a growing influence over decision-making.