KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 — At least five or six countries have asked Malaysia to host an Asean space agency, the Senate was told today.
Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said those countries also want Malaysia to be a satellite launch centre.
“We (the government) have not yet chosen the state or the place (where the establishment of this space agency) will be, but we will discuss it with ministries and agencies before it is brought to the Cabinet,” he said in reply to Senator Datuk Lim Pay Hen.
Lim had asked if the government would consider the proposed establishment of an Asean space agency, which was discussed at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition last year, when it takes over as Asean chair in 2025.
Five years ago, Axelspace Japan president and CEO Nakamura Yuya said Asean members must cooperate to establish the space agency as it may help reduce costs and resources that are often among obstacles in any space-related project.
To a supplementary question from Senator Datuk Arman Azha Abu Hanifah on whether the presence of Asean countries in Brics will be discussed during the Asean Summit next year, Mohamad said it depends on the members involved.
The minister, however, did not deny the new economic bloc was the best platform for Malaysia’s voice, considering the population and gross domestic product (GDP) value of its members is greater than Asean’s.
“Brics is an informal bloc that does not require us (Malaysia) to deal with any ‘treaty’. We see a bloc that can be a good platform for the country as the population of the members is more than two billion, with a GDP bigger than Asean’s.
“That’s why Malaysia has expressed interest in joining Brics, if applications for new membership are open,” he said.
Brics was established in 2009 as a cooperation platform for emerging economies Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, hence the acronym, but Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were admitted to the bloc earlier this year.
— Bernama
