JAKARTA – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today urged Asean leaders to push for greater economic integration within the group and strive towards a regional economic architecture that is vibrant, inclusive, sustainable and resilient.
He said intra-Asean trade, which currently stands at only 22.3% of Asean’s total trade, must be increased and greater strategic arrangements should be undertaken to enhance market integration.
Asean should also facilitate the movement of goods, capital, skilled workforce, and technology sharing among the member countries and its external partners.
“Partnership with external partners to contribute towards this aim should also be heightened,” he stressed in his intervention at the 43rd Asean Summit Plenary Session here.
“Malaysia stands ready to contribute through our Madani Economic Framework which includes steps towards enhancing economic growth, promoting investment, and strengthening industries to become more innovative, competitive, and capable of expanding into the regional and global market.”
According to Anwar, who is also finance minister, Asean has achieved unprecedented socioeconomic advancements, from reducing poverty levels, to increasing inter-regional trade and advancing technological innovations.
He pointed out that the group has a combined Gross Domestic Product of nearly US$3 trillion (US$1=RM4.66) despite the global economic uncertainties, making the bloc the fifth-largest economy globally which is projected to become the fourth largest economy by 2030.
Touching on the “2023 edition of the standard map of China”, Anwar said Malaysia had issued its statement clearly stating its position.
“Issues in the South China Sea must be managed in a peaceful and rational way through dialogue and consultation in accordance with the universally recognised principle of international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas 1982 (UNCLOS),” he said.
On the Asean Community’s Post-2025 Vision, Anwar said the Asean Community Vision 2045 outlines a clear, long-term strategic direction for the group to achieve its goal of an Asean Community that is able to effectively respond to current and future challenges and opportunities.
He expressed hope that all leaders could agree to allow for some flexibility for necessary adjustments to be made to the vision in light of relevant developments between now and its final adoption in 2025.
“Malaysia thanks Indonesia for co-chairing the High-Level Task Force (HLTF) with Malaysia in 2023 as well as its excellent support and cooperation in carrying forward the HLTF’s work. We look forward to working with Laos next year,” Anwar said.
As the coordinator of the Asean-Gulf Cooperation Summit, he highlighted that Asean and the GCC have agreed to hold the summit in Saudi Arabia on October 20, adding that two outcome documents are proposed, which are a Joint Statement on the Asean-GCC Summit and Asean-GCC Framework of Cooperation (2024-2028).
“They are currently being negotiated by our officials. There is a proposal for an Asean-GCC Ministerial Meeting on October 19 to finalise preparations for the summit,” he said.
On the Asean chairmanship rotation, Anwar conveyed Malaysia’s appreciation to the Philippines for its readiness to assume the Asean Chairmanship in 2026, and join consensus for other member countries to continue the rotation based on alphabetical order, unless otherwise decided by the leaders. – September 5, 2023