KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) remains steadfast in advancing peace, stability and prosperity in the region and beyond, under Malaysia’s chairmanship this year, said its Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn.
Under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s chairmanship, Asean has focused on strengthening unity and its role as a global force for peace and cooperation.
“Asean has been very true to its spirit, meaning that since its founding in 1967, we have always talked about peace and stability in the region, because with peace and stability, we can talk about prioritising prosperity, the people, and the planned agenda,” he said.
Kao was speaking to the press on the sidelines of the 47th Asean Summit and Related Summits today.
He added that Malaysia’s chairmanship under Anwar's leadership has been instrumental in advancing reforms at home while balancing Asean’s role on the global stage.
“I think Asean today is a global Asean, it is not just a regional Asean,” Kao said.
Malaysia has done very well as Asean chair despite a difficult year for the region, and he commended Malaysia’s “decisive leadership” in addressing challenges, including the inclusion of Timor-Leste, economic cooperation, the Thailand-Cambodia crisis, and engagement with Myanmar.
“I would say that this has been a very difficult year for Asean and for the world, yet I think Malaysia has navigated it strategically and achieved so much in one year,” Kao said.
Asean also continued to advocate multilateralism and dialogue diplomacy in addressing conflicts worldwide under Malaysia’s chairmanship.
“We have been a strong advocate of dialogue diplomacy not only at the regional level but also at the global level.
“We want to see conflicts around the world resolved through diplomacy and negotiation,” he said, noting that issues such as Gaza were also discussed during the summit.
Asean unity and centrality remain the foundation of its external relations, as the bloc continues to cooperate with partners including the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, and the European Union.
“Unity means the strength of Asean. That is important,” Kao said, adding that Asean has reaffirmed its commitment to its people, particularly the youth.
“Our leaders, our ministers and officials have been working very hard to make sure they put people first, and that is why we have people — ordinary people — in the Asean community,” he said.
On Asean’s future direction, the secretary-general said he is proud that Asean has emerged as a key global player.
"I am very proud of the fact that today, Asean is in the spotlight. We have a lot of countries that are now more willing to work with Asean," Kao said.
He is also confident that Asean’s unity, peace, and stability would continue to guide its shared vision towards 2045.
"I hope that we will continue to work in spirit to keep peace and stability, to keep unity, and, of course, to make sure that we never lose sight of the interests of our people," Kao said.
As the Asean chair this year, Malaysia hosted the summit from Sunday (October 26) to today at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre,
Guided by the theme 'Inclusivity and Sustainability', its chairmanship focuses on strengthening Asean’s efforts towards building a more resilient, people-centred, and forward-looking region.
