Anwar to raise Gaza issue at ASEAN leaders' retreat
PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he would raise the issue regarding Gaza during the ASEAN Leaders' Retreat held in conjunction with the 46th ASEAN Summit.
'The bombardment continues. We have lost our humanity in a world full of cruelty. Malaysia has done whatever we can, although some expect us to do more.
'But within ASEAN, we build consensus to push for a ceasefire. It would depend on the context, but when I chair the ASEAN Leaders' Retreat, I will probably touch on this subject,' he said during a briefing session with editors-in-chief of local and international media at the Seri Perdana Complex here, Wednesday.
Also present were Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chief executive officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin, Bernama editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj, and executive editor of Bernama economic news service Saraswathi Muniappan.
The event was attended by a total of 83 media representatives, comprising 42 from local media, 18 from international media, and 23 covering the event on assignment.
The 46th ASEAN Summit will begin this Thursday with meetings at the senior officials' level, followed by ministerial-level meetings on May 25, while meetings for heads of government will commence on May 26.
Malaysia assumed the ASEAN Chairmanship from Laos on Jan 1, 2025, with the theme 'Inclusivity and Sustainability,' reflecting the nation's aspirations to shape a united and prosperous ASEAN.
This is Malaysia's fifth time holding the ASEAN Chairmanship, after 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015.
ASEAN, founded on August 8, 1967, currently comprises 10 Southeast Asian countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, while Timor-Leste's entry as a member state is still in process.
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