Latest news with #Asean-GulfCooperationCouncil-China
Straits Times
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
More Malaysians opt for skills training over degree route
Asian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week. Sign up here to get the newsletter in your inbox. It's been back-to-back action for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, having rushed back from a divisive party election in Johor, to host the Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur that concludes with an economic forum today. His daughter Nurul Izzah beat incumbent Rafizi Ramli for the deputy presidency, with the latter's slate of candidates also failing to capture more than a handful of seats in the Parti Keadilan Rakyat national leadership. But the victory has come at the cost of wide accusations of nepotism and electoral fraud. The Asean Summit was a tamer affair, with Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong calling Malaysia an 'energetic and effective' chair of the regional grouping. But while there were high points such as the inaugural Asean-Gulf Cooperation Council-China and Timor-Leste's membership, key issues including the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar and disputes in the South China Sea saw little progress. And to highlight how careful South-east Asian nations are having to tread between the US and China amid current tensions, Malaysia backtracked on the purported use of Huawei's AI chips just before the Asean Summit. Follow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments.
The Star
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
PM seeks Asean-US meeting
PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has written to US President Donald Trump, seeking his support for a meeting between Asean and the United States. 'I have taken the liberty to write to President Trump to seek his understanding to organise a US-Asean meeting. 'This reflects our seriousness in observing the spirit of centrality,' the Prime Minister told the association leaders at the opening of the 46th Asean Summit plenary session. Anwar said the letter to Trump followed the mandate achieved at the Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Langkawi earlier this year. Asean's economic ministers had previously said that the 10-member bloc would not impose any retaliatory measures as the group wanted to engage in a 'frank and constructive' dialogue with the United States to address trade-related concerns. On Sunday, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said that Malaysia, as Asean Chair this year, is awaiting confirmation from the United States on the proposed date for the Asean-US Special Summit. Anwar also spoke on Asean-Gulf Cooperation Council-China, saying that preserving the geo-economic model is key to securing long-term regional sustainability and inclusivity. He said the trilateral cooperation model must be safeguarded as a strategic pillar in a multipolar global landscape. 'Above all, we must preserve the multilateral system and ensure that the Asean-GCC-China geo-economic model continues to play a meaningful role in forging a more inclusive and sustainable future for our region and our people,' he said. Anwar said the inaugural Asean-GCC-China Summit, convened under Malaysia's chairmanship, reflected a 'reservoir of goodwill' and the capacity of regional blocs to act with strategic clarity. 'I believe that this trilateral Summit manifests the successful reshaping of the matrix of partnership that speaks to today's multipolar reality. 'It symbolises the power of cohesiveness of regional blocs which no doubt would have a positive impact on the world at large,' he said of the summit to be held today. Anwar also cautioned member states against the growing threat of protectionism and the unravelling of the multilateral order, citing recent unilateral tariffs imposed by the United States. 'We have acted expeditiously with the establishment of the Asean geo-economic task force, a necessary step not just for coordination but to demonstrate resolution and confidence,' he said.
