Latest news with #MohamadHasan
Barnama
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Barnama
New Zealand Eyes Upgrading ASEAN Ties, 50th Anniversary Summit In October
KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 — New Zealand's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, at the bilateral meeting with Malaysia's Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, on the sidelines of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) and related meetings today. -- fotoBERNAMA (2025) COPYRIGHT RESERVED By Wan Muhammad Aslah Wan Razali KUALA LUMPUR, July 15 (Bernama) -- ASEAN and New Zealand, marking their 50th year of dialogue relations this year, will celebrate their milestone with a Commemorative Leaders' Summit in Kuala Lumpur at the end of the year. New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the special summit has been planned to coincide with the 47th ASEAN Summit and related summits chaired by Malaysia in October. bootstrap slideshow He described the 50th year milestone as an incredibly exciting time, particularly for New Zealand, which will continue to work with ASEAN to contribute to peace and stability in this region. 'ASEAN plays a central role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region and has been a steadfast partner of New Zealand for 50 years. New Zealand is committed to investing more into our relationships in Southeast Asia. 'This is why we are pursuing a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with ASEAN, one that is meaningful, substantive, mutually beneficial and reflects New Zealand's character as a longstanding partner to ASEAN,' he said in a written interview to Bernama. Peters, who led the New Zealand delegation to the recently concluded 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meetings (AMM) and related meeting held here, last week, reaffirmed New Zealand's strong support for ASEAN's central role in maintaining regional stability and pledged deeper cooperation with the bloc. He said ASEAN's convening power and steady leadership are crucial in navigating today's geopolitical complexities. He noted that ASEAN's role and Malaysia's leadership were evident throughout the meetings.
DW
2 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Will nuclear powers help keep nukes out of Southeast Asia? – DW – 07/14/2025
With uncertainty rising in Southeast Asia, some regional leaders are doubling down on the decades-old SEANWFZ treaty aimed to keep out nuclear weapons. The US, Russia and China could use it as a diplomatic lever. As global powers vie for influence in Southeast Asia, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is renewing its push towards nuclear disarmament. The ASEAN has long urged China, the US, the UK, Russia, and France to sign the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ) accords. Adopted by ASEAN in 1995, the SEANWFZ (also known as the Bangkok treaty) aims to keep the region free of "nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction" while allowing for civilian use of nuclear energy. Following the ASEAN Regional Forum in Kuala Lumpur last week, the bloc's current chair Malaysia urged nuclear powers to "recognize the need to completely eliminate nuclear weapons." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Beijing has already confirmed it will endorse SEANWFZ, according to Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan. "China made a commitment to ensure that they will sign the treaty without reservation," Hasan told reporters on the sidelines of an ASEAN diplomatic event last week. Hasan also indicated that Russia, the world's biggest nuclear power, will sign the agreement as well. While Moscow has yet to comment on the issue, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Malaysia in early July for a series of high-profile meetings. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was also in Kuala Lumpur last week for several multilateral and bilateral talks. However, it remains unclear if the US intends to sign the SEANWFZ. Both Washington and Moscow are keen to secure their influence in the region, including in the field of nuclear energy, as several ASEAN states are looking for outside partners to develop civilian nuclear programs. Partnerships with Washington, however, may not be as reliable as they once were. President Donald Trump's administration is pursuing a mercurial and shifting foreign policy, leaving Southeast Asia with the general sense that the rules and norms of the international order are crumbling, and America's credibility and interest in the region are fading fast. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Most Southeast Asian countries have reacted by advancing relations with Russia and China over the past few months, recognizing that Lavrov, Russia's top diplomat, may be correct in saying that the international community is fragmenting into a "multipolar world order." This leaves room for China to expand its diplomatic clout at Washington's expense. By endorsing the SEANWFZ, Beijing wants to show that it "cares about ASEAN at the same time as the US is potentially tariffing Southeast Asian states and trying to use them to isolate China, which they don't want to do," Joshua Kurlantzick, senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, told DW. "China loses nothing because there's little likelihood anyway it would need to use nukes in Southeast Asia," he added. Also, Beijing can now emphasize the contrast between its own policy and the AUKUS pact involving the US, the UK and Australia. The agreement between the three nations allows for the use of nuclear-powered submarines in the Asia-Pacific. Zachary Abuza, a professor at the National War College in Washington, told DW that "China will absolutely not abide by the terms of the SEANWFZ." The SEANWFZ treaty commits its signatories not to move nuclear weapons through the region or its waterways. In recent years, however, China has been accused of "bunkering" its submarines in the South China Sea, a contested maritime area that several Southeast Asian states dispute with Beijing. In 2023, the Reuters news agency reported that China had begun to keep at least one nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine at sea at all times, with many patrolling the waters from Hainan to the South China Sea. Last year, the US military asserted that Beijing was preparing to deploy floating nuclear reactors near the artificial islands it has reclaimed in the South China Sea. China is believed to possess hundreds of operational nuclear warheads, and — according to the Pentagon — continues to expand its nuclear arsenal. "But that Beijing is willing to be the first outside nuclear power to sign the SEANWFZ is diplomatically smart and at least pays lip service to ASEAN centrality," Abuza noted, referring to the concept that ASEAN should be at the heart of broader Asia-Pacific diplomacy. "China is doing everything it can to portray itself as the responsible stakeholder in the region, committed to rules and norms. Beijing wants to paint Washington as the disruptor of the status quo and economic growth in the region," Abuza said. For political scientist and founder of the weekly ASEAN Wonk newsletter Prashanth Parameswaran, proper non-proliferation efforts would require more than just signing the SEANWFZ treaty. The vision of a regional nuclear-free zone has "historically carried normative weight" among some ASEAN states, including Malaysia, he told DW. However, Parameswaran points out that "no one in the region is under the illusion that this alone will necessarily restrain what nuclear powers will do or reverse the worrying state of the nuclear non-proliferation regime more generally."
The Star
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Suspected militancy: Dhaka concerned about arrest of Bangladeshis, to coordinate with KL
DHAKA: Bangladeshi Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain (pic) on Friday (July 11) expressed concerns over the arrests of Bangladeshi nationals in Malaysia recently on charges of terrorism, United News of Bangladesh (UNB) reported. He said the government of Bangladesh will work with Malaysia to investigate allegations of militancy against Bangladeshi nationals who were arrested by the Malaysian police. The issues were discussed during a bilateral meeting with Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan held in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of the 32nd Asean Regional Forum ministerial meeting. Adviser Hossain reiterated the firm stand of the government against terrorism and sought Malaysia's cooperation in its own investigation into the allegations through the exchange of information and findings. The Malaysian Foreign Minister assured Dhaka of facilitating access and cooperation with Bangladesh authorities. - Bernama/UNB
BusinessToday
2 days ago
- Politics
- BusinessToday
ASEAN Regional Forum Reinforces Security Cooperation Amid Global Tensions
Foreign Ministers from across the Asia-Pacific reaffirmed their commitment to regional peace and stability at the 32nd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) held in Kuala Lumpur on July 11, amid mounting global challenges ranging from geopolitical tensions to humanitarian crises. Chaired by Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, the meeting underscored the ARF's role as the region's primary platform for constructive political-security dialogue, calling for deeper cooperation, preventive diplomacy and a renewed focus on ASEAN Centrality, in line with the chairmanship theme, 'Inclusivity and Sustainability'. Ministers addressed a wide range of security concerns, including North Korea's missile provocations, maritime disputes in the South China Sea and ongoing violence in Myanmar. The ARF also urged the complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and emphasised the importance of peaceful dialogue and compliance with the United Nations Security Council resolutions. The meeting also highlighted growing threats from cybercrime, terrorism, climate change and transnational crime, calling for cross-sectoral coordination and enhanced capacity-building across ARF platforms. Maritime issues such as piracy and marine pollution were flagged as persistent concerns, with ministers welcoming ongoing cooperation under ASEAN-led frameworks. On Myanmar, the ARF reiterated support for the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus, called for an immediate cessation of violence and commended the efforts of the ASEAN Chair's Special Envoy in promoting inclusive dialogue. Ministers also expressed alarm over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and rising tensions in the Middle East, urging adherence to international law and renewed diplomatic efforts to achieve lasting peace. Looking ahead, the ARF agreed to develop a new post-2025 Plan of Action aligned with the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, and supported updating the ARF Vision Statement to ensure continued relevance in an evolving security landscape. The meeting concluded with support for the Philippines as the next ARF Chair in 2026, and acknowledgment of the ASEAN Secretariat's work in fostering transparency through the Annual Security Outlook and inter-sessional initiatives. Related
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Unity government open to talks on expanded SST implementation
BANTING: The unity government remains open to discussions if there are parties who believe certain goods should be exempted from the expanded Sales and Services Tax (SST). Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said that although the tax expansion is being implemented, it does not mean the government has shut its doors on negotiations or discussions over the matter. "Based on what the unity government has done so far, it seems there is room for negotiation. "If there is a need, especially for basic daily necessities, it can be brought to the government's attention. "The door for negotiations is not completely closed, but there must be a clear basis to justify the exemption of certain items from tax," he said when asked whether the government was still open to discussions following the expanded SST implementation starting this month. Earlier, Mohamad, who is also the Foreign Minister, launched the Kuala Langat Umno division delegates' meeting that was attended by 460 delegates from 90 branches at Dewan Sri Jugra here today. Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said the SST should be implemented with a more flexible approach, particularly concerning basic food items. Zahid also said he had also raised the matter with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, suggesting that apples, oranges, and dates be exempted from the tax, with the cabinet agreeing that SST would not apply to those three food items.
