KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said ASEAN achieved the goals set for the 46th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, crediting the outcome to the strong spirit of unity and the unwavering support of all regional leaders.
Reflecting on the engagements throughout the summit, Anwar said Malaysia’s chairmanship had enabled deeper discussions with ASEAN’s external partners, particularly the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and China.
He said the engagements with the GCC were especially meaningful, as they represented the first substantive dialogue following an introductory meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2023.
“The first meeting in Riyadh was more of a formality to introduce the programme, but this time, there were a series of structured sessions and discussions that led to a very detailed and elaborate joint statement,” he said at a media conference at the close of the summit here today.
On ASEAN’s dialogue with China, Anwar noted that the presence of Chinese Premier Li Qiang allowed both sides to focus on specific areas of cooperation.
Anwar also expressed appreciation to all ministries and agencies involved in organising the summit, the first under his administration.
Under Malaysia’s chairmanship, the summit placed strong emphasis on narrowing development gaps, safeguarding vulnerable communities, and reinforcing ASEAN’s centrality within the evolving regional architecture.
Malaysia’s leadership during the summit has been widely praised for articulating clear priorities, including food and energy security, climate resilience, sustainable development, and enhanced connectivity within the region and with external partners.
The Prime Minister said the summit’s outcomes reflect ASEAN’s renewed commitment to remain united and proactive amid rising global uncertainties.
“We must preserve ASEAN’s central role in the region and ensure that our community remains relevant, inclusive and forward-looking,” he said.
While acknowledging that not all issues can be resolved immediately, he stressed that there is now real and meaningful positive engagement among member states.
“That reflects the new spirit of ASEAN. Personally, I’m excited to witness this renewed sense of seriousness among member states,” he said.
Anwar also emphasised that regional decisions must not come at the expense of any other nation, as ASEAN seeks to uphold the collective interests of its more than 650 million people.
“To me, this is major progress. We must protect the interests of the one-third of the world’s population living in our region,” he added.
Looking ahead, the Prime Minister said that ministries and relevant agencies from all ASEAN member states will be mobilised to ensure the effective implementation of agreed-upon programmes, with a target of achieving tangible progress by October.
Reflecting on ASEAN’s unity, Anwar noted the unprecedented level of commitment demonstrated by leaders over the past three years.
“I’ve participated in ASEAN meetings for a long time, and I can say I’ve never seen such plain and strong commitment. There’s no choice—the determination to act is clear,” he said.
This year marks Malaysia’s fifth term as ASEAN Chair, following previous chairmanships in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015.
In conjunction with the regional summit, two high-level engagements - the 2nd ASEAN-GCC Summit and the inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China Summit - were also convened as strategic platforms to advance regional and inter-regional cooperation.
