PETALING JAYA: Malaysia will champion three transformative initiatives to chart a bold course for the future of Asean in its journey towards realising the Sustainable Development Goals, says Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
The Deputy Prime Minister said they are energy decarbonisation, biodiversity protection and economic connectivity.
“These efforts are vital not only for achieving its shared development goals but also for positioning Asean as a global leader in sustainability and resilience.
“These priorities reflect our shared aspirations for a prosperous, sustainable and interconnected Asean, but achieving these goals requires collaboration between governments, the private sector and civil society.
“It demands that we leverage our collective strength as a region, embracing innovation, resilience and inclusivity,” he said in his speech at the Asean Workshop on Sustainable Development 2025 held at Sunway University here yesterday, Bernama reported.
Fadillah, who is also Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, represented Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who is currently on a three-day working visit to the United Arab Emirates.
Also present were Asean secretary-general Dr Kao Kim Hourn, and chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network Malaysia and chairman of Sunway Group Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah.
On the energy decarbonisation effort, Fadillah said the first priority is the transition toward a low-carbon, interconnected energy grid powered primarily by renewable energy sources.
On the biodiversity protection initiative, Fadillah said it is hoped that under Malaysia’s chairmanship, the Asean Centre for Biodiversity can be strengthened to coordinate conservation efforts, harmonise national policies and establish a biodiversity protection treaty that commits member nations to sustainable land-use practices.
As for the economic connectivity effort, he said Malaysia will focus on the development of integrated and modern infrastructure to strengthen Asean’s economic integration and connectivity.
Malaysia officially assumed the Asean chairmanship on Jan 1 this year, marking its fifth time holding the position, having previously chaired in 1977, 1997, 2005 and 2015.
