Latest news with #ASEAN2025
The Sun
2 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Malaysia remains steadfast, becomes catalyst in regional diplomacy
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia remains steadfast in facing various global challenges and continues to play a role as the catalyst and leader of regional diplomacy through its ASEAN 2025 Chairmanship, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He said although the world is facing various challenges, including geopolitical tensions and trade tariffs, Malaysia remains firmly anchored. 'Malaysia is among the earliest countries to act in protecting the interests of industry and businesses and the welfare of the people. 'Comprehensive and inclusive strategic measures have been taken, with the involvement of various parties to ensure the country remains economically stable and competitive,' he said. Anwar said this in his congratulatory speech at the 2025 Federal Awards, Medals and Honours conferment ceremony in conjunction with the birthday of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, at Istana Negara today. The ceremony was graced by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim and Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia. Also present were the Prime Minister's wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul and Dewan Negara president Datuk Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah. The Prime Minister also described this year's ASEAN Summit as the best in the history of ASEAN, when Malaysia as Chairman brought together three giant continents, namely the Gulf States or Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), China and ASEAN to ensure the survival of civilisation and spur the economy of the people and the country. 'The ASEAN Summit and the hosting of LIMA (Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition) very much proved that the spirit of teamwork is the key to fulfilling the aspirations and ambitions of the country. 'The excellence of the Malaysian Armed Forces in Langkawi and the magnificence of PDRM (Royal Malaysia Police) and the entire government machinery as well as the private sector in Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur were simply amazing,' said the Prime Minister. He also expressed confidence that Visit Malaysia 2026 will be a new catalyst for economic growth and the proliferation of employment opportunities. In addition, Anwar said the increase in agro-agricultural yields and local products, Malaysian-made goods and the resilience of the domestic industry continue to be the pillars that strengthen the country's economy. 'The people's undivided support for these initiatives demonstrates high national spirit and awareness of the importance of self-reliance during these uncertain global challenges,' he said.
The Sun
2 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
M'sia remains steadfast, becomes catalyst in regional diplomacy
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia remains steadfast in facing various global challenges and continues to play a role as the catalyst and leader of regional diplomacy through its ASEAN 2025 Chairmanship, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He said although the world is facing various challenges, including geopolitical tensions and trade tariffs, Malaysia remains firmly anchored. 'Malaysia is among the earliest countries to act in protecting the interests of industry and businesses and the welfare of the people. 'Comprehensive and inclusive strategic measures have been taken, with the involvement of various parties to ensure the country remains economically stable and competitive,' he said. Anwar said this in his congratulatory speech at the 2025 Federal Awards, Medals and Honours conferment ceremony in conjunction with the birthday of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, at Istana Negara today. The ceremony was graced by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim and Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia. Also present were the Prime Minister's wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul and Dewan Negara president Datuk Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah. The Prime Minister also described this year's ASEAN Summit as the best in the history of ASEAN, when Malaysia as Chairman brought together three giant continents, namely the Gulf States or Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), China and ASEAN to ensure the survival of civilisation and spur the economy of the people and the country. 'The ASEAN Summit and the hosting of LIMA (Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition) very much proved that the spirit of teamwork is the key to fulfilling the aspirations and ambitions of the country. 'The excellence of the Malaysian Armed Forces in Langkawi and the magnificence of PDRM (Royal Malaysia Police) and the entire government machinery as well as the private sector in Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur were simply amazing,' said the Prime Minister. He also expressed confidence that Visit Malaysia 2026 will be a new catalyst for economic growth and the proliferation of employment opportunities. In addition, Anwar said the increase in agro-agricultural yields and local products, Malaysian-made goods and the resilience of the domestic industry continue to be the pillars that strengthen the country's economy. 'The people's undivided support for these initiatives demonstrates high national spirit and awareness of the importance of self-reliance during these uncertain global challenges,' he said.
The Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Sun
DPM Ahmad Zahid to undertake four-day working visit to UK
LONDON: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will be on a four-day working visit to the United Kingdom (UK) beginning today until Wednesday (June 4). Malaysian High Commissioner to the UK and Northern Ireland Datuk Zakri Jaafar said the trip follows recent visits by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in January and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof in April. 'This visit will further strengthen bilateral ties between Malaysia and the UK across various sectors. 'As Chair of ASEAN 2025, Malaysia will also use the opportunity to share achievements and encouraging outcomes under its leadership,' he told a press conference here Saturday. Ahmad Zahid and his delegation are expected to arrive at Heathrow International Airport at about 8.15 pm local time (3.15 am Monday Malaysian time), accompanied by senior officials from the Foreign Ministry, the Rural and Regional Development Ministry and the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry. Zakri said that during the visit, Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, is scheduled to meet UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed in Whitehall on June 2. The meeting will cover bilateral relations as well as disaster risk management, in line with Ahmad Zahid's role as chairman of the Central Disaster Management Committee. 'In addition to official engagements with the host country, the Deputy Prime Minister will deliver a keynote address at the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Forum titled 'Malaysia's TVET Leadership in ASEAN: Building Skills for a Shared Future' at University College London. 'The forum is expected to be attended by representatives of ASEAN missions in the UK, students, senior university officials, academics and researchers,' he added. According to Zakri, Ahmad Zahid will also host a gathering with Malaysian students in the UK on the same day. On June 3, Ahmad Zahid is scheduled to attend a roundtable meeting with the franchise industry and tourism sector agencies, followed by the launch of Visit Malaysia Year 2026 for the UK market. The programme aims to promote Malaysia as a top tourism destination in Asia, targeting the UK and broader European markets. 'To enhance the campaign's outreach, the Deputy Prime Minister also give interviews to two travel media outlets - TTG Media and Wanderlust,' Zakri said.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
M'sia defends ASEAN centrality, pursues principled diplomacy
SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has reiterated that Malaysia, as Chair for ASEAN 2025, is committed to defending ASEAN's centrality and promoting its active non-alignment. Speaking at the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, Anwar cautioned against a new orthodoxy that not only affects how diplomacy is viewed but also how security will be structured, risking the fragmentation of the regional architecture and undermining Southeast Asia's strategic autonomy. 'Preserving our autonomy is not about resisting others. It is about strengthening ourselves. This, in essence, is what ASEAN Centrality is about. 'We do not object to like-minded partners talking amongst themselves. But coalitions that build walls instead of bridges, stoke arms competition, or undermine the legitimacy of multilateralism should give us pause. 'A stable region is not one braced for conflict, but one grounded in openness, transparency, and habit-forming cooperation,' he said. He also stressed that Southeast Asia does not need a new Cold War, but rather an equilibrium that promotes cooperation without coercion and balance without bloc politics. Anwar said that ASEAN, through decades of consensus-building, was built to foster stability in a region where peace is sustained, freedom is protected, and neutrality is respected. 'If this Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone is a glimpse of what cooperation can achieve at the bilateral level, then ASEAN is the wider canvas.' 'ASEAN was never meant to dominate or dictate. That foundation still holds,' he said. Referring to the recently concluded 46th ASEAN Summit and related summits in Kuala Lumpur, the Prime Minister described them as substantive and productive summits, where several historic agendas were made. These include the adoption of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on ASEAN 2045, a decision on Timor-Leste's admission to the bloc and on the Myanmar situation. The convening of the ASEAN-GCC Summit and ASEAN-GCC-China Summit, meanwhile, is strengthening ASEAN's strategic aperture. Anwar reiterated Malaysia's concern about rising tensions in the South China Sea amid its complex dispute and called for calm, direct and consistent engagement with all parties. 'We have no interest in seeing tensions spiral into confrontation, least of all in waters so critical to our own security and prosperity. 'We will urge restraint, encourage dialogue, and work to preserve the stability on which this region depends. Above all, we remain steadfast in our principled insistence that all parties uphold the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),' he said. The prime minister said Malaysia does not subscribe to the concept of spheres of influence, stressing that history has shown how such divisions by major powers often render smaller nations voiceless. He said that true stability does not come from dividing the world into zones of control, but from creating space for all countries to participate meaningfully in shaping the global order. As such, he reaffirmed Malaysia's commitment to pursue an active non-alignment approach in its foreign policy and to maximise its own strategic space. While welcoming a strong and enduring United States (US) presence in the region, Anwar stressed the importance of maintaining firm and vibrant ties with China, as well as strengthening partnerships across Asia, Europe and the Global South. 'We will engage all who are willing - major powers and middle powers alike – not to set one against the other, but to maximise our own strategic space. 'For Malaysia, this is a deliberate and strategic posture: to help preserve an open region, to assert our sovereignty, and to make our own choices – on our own terms,' he said.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Malaysia defends ASEAN centrality, pursues principled diplomacy
SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has reiterated that Malaysia, as Chair for ASEAN 2025, is committed to defending ASEAN's centrality and promoting its active non-alignment. Speaking at the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, Anwar cautioned against a new orthodoxy that not only affects how diplomacy is viewed but also how security will be structured, risking the fragmentation of the regional architecture and undermining Southeast Asia's strategic autonomy. 'Preserving our autonomy is not about resisting others. It is about strengthening ourselves. This, in essence, is what ASEAN Centrality is about. 'We do not object to like-minded partners talking amongst themselves. But coalitions that build walls instead of bridges, stoke arms competition, or undermine the legitimacy of multilateralism should give us pause. 'A stable region is not one braced for conflict, but one grounded in openness, transparency, and habit-forming cooperation,' he said. He also stressed that Southeast Asia does not need a new Cold War, but rather an equilibrium that promotes cooperation without coercion and balance without bloc politics. Anwar said that ASEAN, through decades of consensus-building, was built to foster stability in a region where peace is sustained, freedom is protected, and neutrality is respected. 'If this Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone is a glimpse of what cooperation can achieve at the bilateral level, then ASEAN is the wider canvas.' 'ASEAN was never meant to dominate or dictate. That foundation still holds,' he said. Referring to the recently concluded 46th ASEAN Summit and related summits in Kuala Lumpur, the Prime Minister described them as substantive and productive summits, where several historic agendas were made. These include the adoption of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on ASEAN 2045, a decision on Timor-Leste's admission to the bloc and on the Myanmar situation. The convening of the ASEAN-GCC Summit and ASEAN-GCC-China Summit, meanwhile, is strengthening ASEAN's strategic aperture. Anwar reiterated Malaysia's concern about rising tensions in the South China Sea amid its complex dispute and called for calm, direct and consistent engagement with all parties. 'We have no interest in seeing tensions spiral into confrontation, least of all in waters so critical to our own security and prosperity. 'We will urge restraint, encourage dialogue, and work to preserve the stability on which this region depends. Above all, we remain steadfast in our principled insistence that all parties uphold the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),' he said. The prime minister said Malaysia does not subscribe to the concept of spheres of influence, stressing that history has shown how such divisions by major powers often render smaller nations voiceless. He said that true stability does not come from dividing the world into zones of control, but from creating space for all countries to participate meaningfully in shaping the global order. As such, he reaffirmed Malaysia's commitment to pursue an active non-alignment approach in its foreign policy and to maximise its own strategic space. While welcoming a strong and enduring United States (US) presence in the region, Anwar stressed the importance of maintaining firm and vibrant ties with China, as well as strengthening partnerships across Asia, Europe and the Global South. 'We will engage all who are willing - major powers and middle powers alike – not to set one against the other, but to maximise our own strategic space. 'For Malaysia, this is a deliberate and strategic posture: to help preserve an open region, to assert our sovereignty, and to make our own choices – on our own terms,' he said.
