Excellencies, the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN Member States,
His Excellency Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN,
Assalamu’alaikum wbt, and good morning.
On behalf of the Government and the People of Malaysia, welcome to Kuala Lumpur.
Before we begin, a very warm welcome to His Excellency Sihasak Phuangketkeow, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and His Excellency Le Hoai Trung, the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam.
Both of our new Colleagues will, I’m sure, be valuable additions to our ASEAN Family. I look forward to working with you.
Thank you all for being here in Kuala Lumpur, and the days ahead will be very fruitful, I’m sure.
Truthfully, there is a lot that I want to say today, as Malaysia’s Chairmanship draws nearer to its end, and on the eve of the 47th ASEAN Summit.
With each Chairmanship comes the duty, of nurturing continuity. Preserving ASEAN’s unity and purpose, while laying a path for the future.
And it is also the duty of the Chair to do so, while never once abandoning the core values that unite us: trust, dialogue, and consensus.
These values form the glue that have empowered us, to defy the expectations of the world. To be a success story of a region that is highly diverse, in terms of culture, languages, religions, and modes of governance – and yet is thriving so well.
To cultivate a vision of a future for Southeast Asia, that is inclusive and sustainable – and ensure no one is left behind in this region.
Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen,
This year, ASEAN and Timor-Leste have come a long way, in welcoming our neighbour into the ASEAN Family.
The adoption of the Guidelines, for Facilitating Timor-Leste’s Participation, in ASEAN Legal Instruments, marks a historic milestone in that journey.
Welcoming this young democracy strengthens not only our collective resolve, but also our capacity to meet future challenges together.
And indeed, our organisation is expanding in more ways than one. Earlier this year, Algeria and Uruguay acceded, to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
Soon, Finland will also accede to the Treaty, raising the total number of High Contracting Parties to 58, and underscoring our growing reputation, as a globally respected centre of dialogue, and a trusted partner for peace.
Excellencies,
In the eyes of the international community, ASEAN has stood as a beacon of neutrality, and a safe harbour, amid geopolitical turbulence.
Regardless of the uncertainties and the great power rivalries, that have cast their long shadows across global trade, this region has remained steadfast and productive.
Economically, our collective vision remains strong. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), continue to deepen integration, strengthen supply chains, and attract global investment.
At the same time, we continue to diversify our partnerships, expanding ties with India, Australia, the European Union (EU), and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
This in turn, enhances ASEAN’s collective strategic autonomy.
Importantly, we have positioned ourselves as a strategic East–West connector, through the establishment of the ASEAN–GCC–China Summit back in May.
All over the world, our collective strength is gaining recognition. Because the nations of ASEAN stand together and move as one.
My dear colleagues,
Upholding our commitment to the ASEAN Way is crucial, as we navigate the tides of change.
The border conflict between our neighbours this year, has understandably opened some anxieties within the ASEAN community. It reminds us of the fragility of peace.
Fortunately, thanks to tireless mediation efforts, tensions have since de-escalated. We commend both countries for choosing the path of diplomacy and dialogue, to resolve their differences.
As Chair, Malaysia is humbled by the trust placed in us, to facilitate these efforts, and we remain fully committed to supporting both countries.
We are encouraged by this progress, and look forward to the signing of the formal ceasefire agreement, and the establishment of the ASEAN Observers Team during this Summit.
Such a milestone highlights the importance of ASEAN centrality. This is a reminder that the proximity we have with each other – not only geographical, but cultural proximity – breeds trust, and trust cultivates co- existence.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We must continually remind ourselves, of the importance of trust and goodwill, in managing our most enduring challenges.
When it comes to Myanmar, the road ahead must be guided by determination and active engagement.
If the crisis is left unresolved, numerous internal issues will spill across borders – in the form of transnational crime, refugee flows, and wider socioeconomic instability.
Yet progress must be pursued with care, not forced.
In a situation marked by decades of mutual mistrust on the ground, reconciliation will not happen overnight.
It will be a long process, which must be led by the people of Myanmar, and supported by ASEAN. A path that is grounded in trust, not coercion.
As such, future ASEAN Chairs must continue to show resolve and determination. Remember, always, the spirit of solidarity that unites this region.
This was what guided our swift actions as ASEAN responded, to the deadly earthquake that struck Myanmar earlier this year. We mobilised emergency personnel, and dispatched additional humanitarian aid, to support recovery efforts on the ground.
Make no mistake, when difficulties arise, we can, and must, act as one.
Addressing the Myanmar crisis requires not only whole-of-government and whole-of-society efforts, but a whole-of-region commitment, to peacebuilding.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The same unity must be shown, in another critical pressure point: the South China Sea.
Open, but firm and consolidated engagement, must be the driving force of our approach, to resolving this issue.
As ASEAN Country Coordinator for China, from August 2024 to July 2027, Malaysia remains committed, to advocating for our collective interests, particularly in advancing the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.
We look to all parties involved, both ASEAN Member States and ASEAN Dialogue Partners, to remember that geography binds us all. Regional security must be at the forefront of all that we do.
Through these challenges, ASEAN must remain firm and united. Hesitation or disunity will only encourage fragmentation, and cause the proliferation of minilateral groupings, that risk undermining ASEAN Centrality.
It is crucial for us to embrace partnership, refrain from escalation, and respect the international laws to which we are all bound.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Indeed, international law and the global order have been under heavy strain in recent years.
While we continue to address the challenges posed to this region, we must not turn a blind eye to conflicts beyond our waters.
For the past two years, the world has borne witness to the unspeakable suffering, endured by the Palestinians in Gaza.
A tragedy marked by devastating loss of life, mass displacement, and the systematic erosion of hope and dignity.
ASEAN welcomes efforts to establish a cessation of violence in Gaza, in the first phase of President Trump’s “Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict”.
This development marks an important step forward. And we hope that it will ultimately lead to the realisation of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, and the establishment of a sovereign and independent State of Palestine.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The turbulence of global politics will surely continue, to cast a long shadow over our region in the years ahead.
As the international landscape becomes increasingly dominated, by contestation rather than consensus, division rather than dialogue, ASEAN finds itself at a crossroads.
Our space for neutrality and centrality is narrowing, particularly in areas such as trade, technology, and regional security arrangements.
As I said at the beginning of Malaysia’s stewardship of ASEAN, we must continue to act as the speakers, and not the spoken for. This will be ASEAN’s most pressing task, in the uncertain years that lie ahead.
Colleagues,
It has been Malaysia’s honour to serve as the Chair of ASEAN 2025. What a journey it has been.
The voice that we have cultivated together, and will continue to nurture, is one that will change the world. This I firmly believe.
There is so much that ASEAN carries on its shoulders. We represent a dynamic global outlook, the hopes of nearly 700 million people for a safe and sustainable future, and a form of inclusive multilateralism, that has so much to offer the world at large.
Malaysia is deeply grateful for the support and close cooperation extended by all Member States, our Dialogue Partners, and the ASEAN Secretariat throughout this important year. We cannot thank you enough.
And on a more personal note, to my Foreign Minister counterparts, from all across Southeast Asia and beyond: I am thankful to have had such incredible Colleagues on this journey.
Whatever uncertainties lie ahead, we will face them the ASEAN Way. Our diversity will continue to be our greatest source of strength.
In that spirit, I extend my best wishes to our colleague, Her Excellency Ma. Theresa Lazaro, and the Philippines, as they assume the ASEAN Chairmanship next year.
Malaysia will continue to lend its full support, in strengthening our ASEAN Community. It is our commitment to a brighter future, for the children of Southeast Asia.
Thank you.