MALAYSIA plans to diversify the venues for all ASEAN meetings across the country when it assumes the ASEAN chairmanship in 2025, announced Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
The 2025 ASEAN chairmanship will involve a total of 257 high-level meetings including leaders’ summits, ministerial sessions, and official-level discussions.
“We have set up a steering committee chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and involving all ministries to prepare extensively for assuming the ASEAN chairmanship role,” Mohamad (also known as Tok Mat) said during the Dewan Rakyat’s minister’s question time.
“As of June, we have identified locations nationwide, including Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Melaka, Johor, Negri Sembilan, Penang, Langkawi, and other sites to host these meetings.”
This move aims to decentralise the events from the capital Kuala Lumpur, allowing for a broader regional representation.
Responding to a query by Gombak MP Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari on Malaysia’s preparations and objectives as ASEAN chair, Tok Mat mentioned that dialogues with ASEAN partners would be organised alongside the official meetings.
“Beyond the ASEAN meetings, there will be dialogues involving 11 main partner countries and numerous other events,” he added.
Previously, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had indicated that Malaysia would seek to rejuvenate ASEAN-led forums to achieve significant outcomes during its chairmanship.
The Finance Minister also highlighted that key forums would include the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN Regional Forum, and the ASEAN Defence Minister’s Meeting (ADMM)-Plus. – July 10, 2024
