Latest news with #inter-Asean
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
AirAsia Move unveils new travel strategy
BANGKOK: AirAsia Move, which is owned by Capital A Bhd, plans to reshape the travel experience across Asean through bold, forward-thinking strategies that go well beyond traditional booking platforms. Chief executive officer Nadia Omer shared that the company is consistently enhancing its travel app by deepening customer engagement, strengthening regional collaborations, and offering unique, curated experiences tailored to the needs of today's discerning travellers. With domestic and intra-Asean travel on the rise, she noted that AirAsia Move is also championing staycations and affordable regional getaways to meet the evolving preferences of modern explorers. "We're focused on expanding travel opportunities within Thailand, Malaysia and throughout Asean. This year we are seeing a lot of growth in domestic travel and we are promoting staycation as an occasion. "With inter-Asean travel steadily increasing, we are creating affordable shorter vacations and easy-on-the-pocket bundles," she told reporters, after launching AirAsia Move's new tagline 'Travel More for Less' and unveiling a symbolic aircraft livery at the Don Mueang Maintenance Centre in Thailand on Wednesday. Nadia also noted that the company is exploring partnerships to tap into the growing intersection between travel and entertainment. "We're seeing concerts becoming a major travel driver and we're working on partnerships to bundle concert tickets with flights and hotel stays," she said. Nadia said AirAsia Move is partnering with organisations such as Asean Tourism Association and will launch a dedicated travel guide for Asean tourists soon. "It will serve as a one-stop platform for information such as must-visit destinations and visa requirements while also inspiring visitors to discover the hidden gems scattered across Asean," she added. Nadia said the company aspires to become the most loved travel app in Asean within five years by meeting unmet customer needs and creating memorable experiences. "We have a big task ahead, not just to satisfy our customers but to truly delight them and address their needs. It's a challenge for me and my team, but we're ready for it as we want to earn a place in customers' hearts," she said. On the new tagline, Nadia said the initiative underscores AirAsia Move's deepening commitment to Thailand as a core market and reinforces its vision of making travel more affordable and inclusive for all. She noted that Thailand was chosen as the starting point for the new tagline, given its vibrant appeal and strategic role as a major travel hub in the region. "Travellers today want more than just flights. They want flexibility, simplicity and value. And that's exactly what Move is built to deliver – travelling more for less."
New Straits Times
26-04-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Amir Hamzah: Asean will stay neutral, foster ties with both US, China
KUALA LUMPUR: Asean has consistently maintained a neutral stance in its relations with both the United States (US) and China, and this remains central to the region's diplomatic approach, said Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan. "So, while the US position and the Chinese position may have very different stances along the way, what Asean has been good at over all these years is to maintain some sense of neutrality - some sense of being able to trade with each other, to trade with both sides without getting into very difficult 'gaps or mess' along the way," he said at the Asean Leadership Forum in Washington, DC, on Friday. "And I think that's what we will continue to want to do, because a much more harmonious, much more open mechanism allows for a better outcome than a fractured mechanism. "This has been proven in the past, and Asean want to continue to work towards that in the future," he added during a one-hour session at the Centre For Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) forum. He said this approach allows the bloc's 10 member states, including Malaysia which is currently the Asean Chair, to foster constructive ties with both global powers while safeguarding regional stability and unity. On whether individual member states engaging with the US separately contradicts Asean's message of a unified approach, Amir Hamzah said the different levels of development of the member states need to be taken into account. Asean, as a bloc, is quite sizeable with a combined with gross domestic product of close to US$3.8 trillion (RM16.6 trillion), making it the fifth-largest economic bloc globally. "However, Singapore is probably very high up the value chain, and other members may not be so high up, and the nature of their exports and imports is also very different (from each other) and the skill sets that exist in the countries are very different," he said. As a bloc, there are common areas and potentials where Asean can work together, he said. "So there is no misalignment in that instance, and we will continue to push to enable greater inter-Asean trade and predictability, and deployment of joint projects in infrastructure and so on that are beneficial for the Asean economy overall," Amir Hamzah said. According to him, the shift in the global trading environment needed a response. "So the first response that Asean said was actually, 'Don't fight it', because when you actually dig in positions, you don't create an environment where conversations can actually occur. Hence the non-retaliatory mechanism that we talked about," he said, referring to Asean's immediate response to US reciprocal tariffs. Although the tariffs are currently on a pause, Asean's Indochinese member states were the hardest hit, with Cambodia facing combined baseline and retaliatory duties totalling 49 per cent, followed by Laos (48 per cent), Vietnam (46 per cent), and Myanmar (44 per cent). Thailand was subjected to a tariff rate of 36 per cent, Indonesia 32 per cent, Malaysia and Brunei both 24 per cent, and the Philippines 17 per cent, while Singapore faced a baseline tariff of 10 per cent. Amir Hamzah said Asean continues to uphold its commitment to multilateral and rule-based mechanism. "We want a rule-based mechanism to continue to exist. And I think each member state has a grip on those high level principles. "But we are also practical in understanding that there may be differences between each state, and there may be differences in prioritisation that each state may want. Hence, bilaterals will continue to exist." Amir Hamzah said there's no blame regarding members pursuing what makes sense for their national interests. "But we must (also) have the ability to talk to each other, whereby we don't, in the (bilateral) discussions, make things worse for other Asean members. "Hence, there are regular ongoing communications between Asean members to make sure we don't pin other members into corners. I think that's the best outcome, giving flexibility that addresses the gaps in development growth while allowing members to exercise their sovereign rights to move on," he added. The minister said such diversity doesn't weaken the bloc; instead, it underscores the need for bilateral relationships to carry on alongside regional efforts.
Malay Mail
26-04-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Asean neutrality works despite US-China tensions, says Finance Minister II
KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 — Asean has consistently maintained a neutral stance in its relations with both the United States (US) and China, and this remains central to the region's diplomatic approach, said Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan. 'So, while the US position and the Chinese position may have very different stances along the way, what Asean has been good at over all these years is to maintain some sense of neutrality — some sense of being able to trade with each other, to trade with both sides without getting into very difficult 'gaps or mess' along the way,' he said at the Asean Leadership Forum in Washington, DC, yesterday. 'And I think that's what we will continue to want to do, because a much more harmonious, much more open mechanism allows for a better outcome than a fractured mechanism. 'This has been proven in the past, and Asean wants to continue to work towards that in the future,' he added during a one-hour session at the Centre For Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) forum. He said this approach allows the bloc's 10 member states, including Malaysia which is currently the Asean Chair, to foster constructive ties with both global powers while safeguarding regional stability and unity. On whether individual member states engaging with the US separately contradicts Asean's message of a unified approach, Amir Hamzah said the different levels of development of the member states need to be taken into account. Asean, as a bloc, is quite sizeable with a combined gross domestic product of close to US$3.8 trillion (RM16.62 trillion), making it the fifth-largest economic bloc globally. '(However,) Singapore is probably very high up the value chain, and other members may not be so high up, and the nature of their exports and imports is also very different (from each other) and the skill sets that exist in the countries are very different,' he said. As a bloc, there are common areas and potentials where Asean can work together, he explained. 'So there is no misalignment in that instance, and we will continue to push to enable greater inter-Asean trade and predictability, and deployment of joint projects in infrastructure and so on that are beneficial for the Asean economy overall,' Amir Hamzah said. According to him, the shift in the global trading environment needed a response. 'So the first response that Asean said was actually, 'Don't fight it', because when you actually dig in positions, you don't create an environment where conversations can actually occur. Hence the non-retaliatory mechanism that we talked about,' he said, referring to Asean's immediate response to US reciprocal tariffs. Although the tariffs are currently on a pause, Asean's Indochinese member states were the hardest hit, with Cambodia facing combined baseline and retaliatory duties totalling 49 per cent, followed by Laos (48 per cent), Vietnam (46 per cent), and Myanmar (44 per cent). Thailand was subjected to a tariff rate of 36 per cent, Indonesia 32 per cent, Malaysia and Brunei both 24 per cent, and the Philippines 17 per cent, while Singapore faced a baseline tariff of 10 per cent. Amir Hamzah said Asean continues to uphold its commitment to multilateral and rule-based mechanism. 'We want a rule-based mechanism to continue to exist. And I think each member state has a grip on those high level principles. 'But we are also practical in understanding that there may be differences between each state, and there may be differences in prioritisation that each state may want. Hence, bilaterals will continue to exist.' Amir Hamzah said there's no blame regarding members pursuing what makes sense for their national interests. 'But we must (also) have the ability to talk to each other, whereby we don't, in the (bilateral) discussions, make things worse for other Asean members. 'Hence, there are regular ongoing communications between Asean members to make sure we don't pin other members into corners. I think that's the best outcome, giving flexibility that addresses the gaps in development growth while allowing members to exercise their sovereign rights to move on,' he added. The minister said such diversity doesn't weaken the bloc; instead, it underscores the need for bilateral relationships to carry on alongside regional efforts. — Bernama
