Latest news with #AseanCoordinatingCouncil
The Star
25-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Timor Leste urged to accelerate legal compliance for Asean membership
KUALA LUMPUR: Timor Leste must intensify its efforts to become a full Asean member, since it needs to meet numerous legal requirements, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. Mohamad stated that Timor Leste must comply with the remaining 66 legal instruments if it wishes to become a full member of Asean. 'We want to help them, but they have to help themselves, too,' said Mohamad during a press conference at the KL Convention Centre (KLCC) on Sunday (May 25). Mohamad spoke to reporters after chairing the 36th Asean Coordinating Council (ACC) meeting. He also said that Asean foreign ministers agreed to establish a special task force for Timor Leste. 'There is already a Timor Leste unit established at the Asean Secretariat in Jakarta, this is to expedite and assist Timor Leste in compliance with all legal instruments,' said Mohamad. He also said the adoption of the draft Addendum to the Treaty on the South-East Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) marks a significant milestone in integrating Timor Leste into Asean policies and security framework. 'Asean member states will now begin undertaking their respective domestic legal procedures to finalise Timor Leste's accession process by the 47th Asean Summit and Related Summits in October this year, hopefully,' added Mohamad. He also said all recommendations agreed upon at the ministerial level meetings on Sunday (May 25) will be discussed at the leaders' level on Monday (May 26). Mohamad said Asean was exploring a proposal to admit Timor Leste as a full member before it complies with all the legal instruments. 'We are considering a suggestion to give them a timeline. For example, if they can fulfil the legal instruments within five years, then they can be a full member. 'This is how we ensure that we align with our Asean theme this year - inclusivity and sustainability,' he said. 'We must be inclusive, and Timor Leste, as a country in the region, should have been a full Asean member,' added Mohamad. Timor Leste was granted observer status in Asean in 2022 after the Asean Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and it has since participated in meetings and capacity-building programmes in preparation for full membership.
The Star
25-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Asean mulling permanent special envoy on Myanmar, says Tok Mat
KUALA LUMPUR: Asean foreign ministers have agreed to explore a proposal to appoint a permanent Special Envoy on Myanmar, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. The Foreign Minister said none of his counterparts objected to the proposal of appointing an Asean permanent special envoy for a three-year term. 'The candidate of the permanent special envoy, was discussed at the senior officials meeting (SOM) level and it will be brought to the leaders. 'Basically, the idea of having a permanent special envoy was well received by the respective Asean member states,' said Mohamad during a press conference at the KL Convention Centre (KLCC) on Sunday (May 25). Mohamad was speaking to reporters after chairing the 36th Asean Coordinating Council (ACC) meeting. Presently, the Special Envoy to Myanmar is Tan Sri Othman Hashim, who is the former human rights commission (Suhakam) chairman. Mohamad said he will be heading to Naypyidaw, Myanmar in June to meet with the military junta. 'As chair of Asean, I am going to talk to them further. We have to be patient, because the warring factions have been against each other for decades. 'It is not as simple as what we think,' said Mohamad. Mohamad said Malaysia does not want to interfere in Myanmar's internal affairs, as it is the Asean policy of non-interference. But, Mohamad said the ongoing Myanmar issue has caused transnational crimes and a refugee crisis affecting neighbouring countries. 'That is why, many Asean countries agreed to deal with the Myanmar issue,' added Mohamad. The Myanmar civil war, which was sparked by the coup d'état by its military junta in February 2021, has created lawless border regions that have allowed criminal syndicates to set up 'scam-parks', where foreign nationals are trafficked into the country and force to commit online scams. Leaders in the region will meet during the 46th Asean Summit on May 26 and the summits with the Gulf Cooperation Council and China on May 27.
New Straits Times
25-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
ACC endorses Asean Community Vision 2045 ahead of Summit
KUALA LUMPUR: The Asean Coordinating Council (ACC) has agreed to forward the Asean Community Vision 2045 document to its leaders for adoption at the 46th Asean Summit tomorrow. This was one of the key outcomes of the ACC meeting chaired by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan today. Wisma Putra said this marked the final ministerial-level meeting in preparation for the summit tomorrow. "The meeting served as an important platform for reviewing Asean's progress under the Asean 2025 Vision and aligning collective priorities toward 'Asean 2045: Our Shared Future'. "Foreign ministers exchanged views on the status of key documents and reports to be submitted to Asean leaders and reviewed developments related to Timor-Leste's full membership process. "A key outcome of the meeting was the endorsement of the final report of the High-Level Task Force on the Asean Community Vision 2045. "The council agreed to forward the vision document to Asean leaders for adoption at the summit," it said in a statement. It said Mohamad also conveyed appreciation to member states, the co-chairs of the high-level task force, and the Asean secretariat for their contributions in shaping a forward-looking vision for the region. The meeting also took note of five substantive reports and endorsed six reports for submission to the leaders. The Kuala Lumpur Declaration on Asean 2045 is scheduled to be signed tomorrow, marking a strategic milestone that will guide Asean's next phase of community-building and regional leadership.
