Latest news with #ISISMalaysia
The Star
2 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
PM Anwar slams Israeli strikes on Iran as 'punitive, unprovoked'
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday (June 19) condemned the recent Israeli airstrikes on Iranian territory, describing them as "punitive" and "unprovoked" acts that violate international law and undermine diplomatic efforts. Anwar said the Israeli attacks were clearly intended to derail ongoing talks and shatter hopes for a peaceful resolution in the region. "Such actions, carried out with utter impunity, constitute a blatant violation of international law, further eroding the norms that hold the global order together. "We call on those with power and influence to speak plainly and act decisively to restrain further escalation," he said in his keynote address at the 38th Asia-Pacific Roundtable (APR) here on Thursday. Also present were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and ISIS Malaysia chairman Datuk Prof Dr Mohd Faiz Abdullah. Shifting focus to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Anwar expressed deep concern over the relentless Israeli military campaign, calling it a tragedy that has inflicted a devastating toll on a defenceless population. "The staggering civilian casualties, overwhelmingly women and children, demand far more than pious proclamations of concern. "They require concerted international action to uphold humanitarian law, secure an immediate ceasefire, and ensure the unfettered delivery of aid to those in desperate need," he said. Anwar warned that the credibility of the so-called rules-based international order is now "on trial," urging global powers to act decisively to prevent further escalation. Drawing attention to the situation in the Asia Pacific, Anwar said the same pressures are playing out with different scripts. "In the Taiwan Strait, the Korean Peninsula and the South China Sea, familiar flashpoints flicker. Here, as ever, we must insist on the primacy of dialogue over disruption, of law over disorder, of restraint over escalation," he said. He added that Malaysia believes the future of this region lies not in hardened blocs or fragile balances, but in a security architecture that is inclusive, predictable, and anchored in rules - one in which active non-alignment is not merely tolerated but enabled to thrive. "While we do not pretend to be able to reshape the region to fit our ideals, we can act to prevent its worst outcomes. Stability is not guaranteed, but neither is chaos inevitable. "What we do now - how we manage tensions, balance relationships, and defend our interests - will decide how the region weathers the storms ahead," he said. - Bernama
Barnama
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Barnama
PM Anwar Slams Israeli Strikes On Iran as ‘Punitive, Unprovoked'
KUALA LUMPUR, June 19 -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim delivering his keynote address at the 38th Asia-Pacific Roundtable: Recalibrating Asia's Frontiers here Thursday. --fotoBERNAMA (2025) COPYRIGHT RESERVED KUALA LUMPUR, June 19 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday strongly condemned the recent Israeli airstrikes on Iranian territory, describing them as 'punitive' and 'unprovoked' acts that violate international law and undermine diplomatic efforts. Anwar said the Israeli attacks were clearly intended to derail ongoing talks and shatter hopes for a peaceful resolution in the region. 'Such actions, carried out with utter impunity, constitute a blatant violation of international law, further eroding the norms that hold the global order together. bootstrap slideshow 'We call on those with power and influence to speak plainly and act decisively to restrain further escalation,' he said in his keynote address at the 38th Asia-Pacific Roundtable (APR) here on Thursday. Also present were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Chairman of ISIS Malaysia Datuk Prof Dr Mohd Faiz Abdullah. Shifting focus to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Anwar expressed deep concern over the relentless Israeli military campaign, calling it a tragedy that has inflicted a devastating toll on a defenceless population. 'The staggering civilian casualties, overwhelmingly women and children, demand far more than pious proclamations of concern. 'They require concerted international action to uphold humanitarian law, secure an immediate ceasefire, and ensure the unfettered delivery of aid to those in desperate need,' he said. Anwar warned that the credibility of the so-called rules-based international order is now 'on trial,' urging global powers to act decisively to prevent further escalation.
Barnama
2 hours ago
- Business
- Barnama
38th APR: Multilateralism Key to Resilience, Regional Cooperation
KUALA LUMPUR, June 18 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- Strengthening multilateralism is vital to overcoming geopolitical tensions and ensuring sustained global cooperation, experts said at the 38th Asia-Pacific Roundtable (APR) organised by ISIS Malaysia. Held from June 17 to 19, the forum in Kuala Lumpur saw panellists agree that the global divide lies not between the West and the Global South, but between countries that uphold international norms and those that do not, Xinhua news agency reported. Experts noted that small and middle powers are increasingly turning to multipolar partnerships to manage rising uncertainty. bootstrap slideshow Asia New Zealand Foundation Chief Executive Suzannah Jessep said smaller states are forging partnerships based on trust and shared priorities. 'The world has become more unpredictable, more so for small and middle powers. They have a clear stake in resisting the drift toward a world where 'might is right,' she said. Rather than picking sides, countries like Malaysia are building ties across platforms as a hedge against volatility. Experts said this flexibility enhances resilience. Professor Kuik Cheng-Chwee of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia said ASEAN and newer blocs like BRICS offer smaller nations diversified options and reduce reliance on any single power. 'Malaysia has been a strong proponent of the ASEAN mechanism while also engaging in platforms like BRICS. Geopolitical tensions create uncertainty, and hedging is about reducing risks,' he said. Given the world's interdependence, experts also noted that local disruptions can have wide impacts. Experts called for an adaptive multilateral system to boost regional cooperation and resilience.
Free Malaysia Today
16 hours ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Rejigging Asean supply chains will hurt but won't kill, says S'pore economist
Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy dean Danny Quah said the global economic landscape was no longer overwhelmed by any single power. KUALA LUMPUR : A senior economist from Singapore has called on Asean to rejig its supply chains to navigate a new global landscape marked by rising economic protectionism, particularly by the US. Danny Quah, dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, said Asean urgently needed to adapt to the new economic landscape and focus on building resilience and a robust internal market. 'The US has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization, and it will probably continue to do that (with other international pacts),' he said at the 38th Asia-Pacific Roundtable here today. The conference, organised annually by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia, brings together experts from across Asia-Pacific to discuss key issues impacting the region. Quah said that while the US remained important, its share of Chinese trade had almost halved from 25% to 13% over the span of two decades, showing that the global economic landscape was no longer overwhelmed by any single power. 'We are already looking at a world without the US (as the sole dominant economic force). We need to prepare for it. 'We need to consider what policy is going to work best for the new US-protectionist landscape. We need to remember that while the US is important, it no longer overwhelms the landscape. 'We should rewire our supply chains and carry on. It will hurt, but it will not kill us.' Deputy investment, trade and industry minister Liew Chin Tong agreed with Quah and suggested that Asean set up a development fund of its own to acquire excess production capacity in various sectors, including manufacturing. He pointed out that the world was shifting from one that was unipolar, with the US no longer dominating the global economy. 'Instead, we are moving to a multipolar world, with Asean and the EU as a middle ground. It is increasingly apparent that tariffs will be a part of the new world order, especially with the steel industry,' Liew said. 'It is not enough to consider moving supply chains to Southeast Asia to continue exporting to the US. The Trump administration will set goalposts and change them at the last minute. We should think about the long-term and re-wire the way we think about trade. 'Asean cannot just be about free trade agreements. We should start thinking about an Asean Fund to buy excess production capacity.'
Free Malaysia Today
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Asean may be ‘insufficient', but it's indispensable, says academic
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Kuik Cheng Chwee said problems within the region will be more difficult to resolve without Asean. KUALA LUMPUR : An academic said today that while Asean may be perceived as being 'insufficient', the bloc is indispensable. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Kuik Cheng Chwee said Asean was important because it managed and mitigated intra-Asean problems. It also enhanced regional cooperation and prosperity. He cited the dispute between Cambodia and Thailand over the 11th-century Preah Vihear Temple which the two countries are laying claim to. 'While we have problems within Asean, they would be much bigger and more difficult to resolve without it (the bloc),' Kuik, who heads UKM's Asian studies, said at the 38th Asia-Pacific Roundtable today. The roundtable, organised by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia, is aimed at bringing together diplomats, foreign policy experts and analysts to discuss key issues impacting the Asia-Pacific. Kuik also said Asean enhanced regional cooperation and prosperity and provided its members, who mainly comprised small and middle powers, with a platform upon which they were better able to navigate global trends including great-power rivalries. It was for this reason that Asean-centrality and regionalism had been a fixture of Malaysian foreign policy for decades, even before the Anwar Ibrahim administration, he said. 'But nobody will say that Asean is sufficient,' he conceded, acknowledging its weakness when it came to matters that required urgent attention. These sentiments were shared by Australian academic Stuart Kaye on a separate panel which addressed perspectives on maritime security. 'Does it solve crises particularly well? No, but it was not designed to do that, and it should be commended for the work it does well,' Kaye, director and professor of law at the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security said. AdChoices ADVERTISING 'Asean works best when it is trying to integrate what its members do into a regional roadmap, and it excels in its ability to do this on maritime issues in the South China Sea.' He said international law assumed that some level of international cooperation was desirable, especially in semi-enclosed seas such as the South China Sea, and Asean's ability to coordinate its response showed its commitment to multilateral cooperation in the region.
