LONDON: As chair of Asean in 2025, Malaysia will seek to rejuvenate key mechanisms like the Asean Plus Three and the East Asia Summit (EAS), both of which have been celebrated for their convening power but remain underutilised, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said EAS is the only regional forum dedicated to strategic and security issues in the Southeast Asian region led by leaders and where rival powers meet in a neutral setting.
"Instead of getting bogged down by the disputes of major powers, we would rather work with like-minded member states and dialogue partners to seek ways on how such mechanisms can deliver on its aspirations,” he said in his lecture at the London School of Economics on Friday (Jan 17).
The lecture, entitled "The Adaptive Edge: Malaysia’s Global Strategy in an Uncertain Era”, was attended by about 500 students.
"In spite of all that talk of Malaysia pivoting towards China, the fact is that the US continues to reign supreme, cumulatively, as the largest source of foreign direct investment in Malaysia, especially in the tech-sector,” said Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, adding that China has been Malaysia’s largest trading partner since 2009.
"It’s as clear as day that there is no zero-sum game here,” Anwar said.
In his view, maintaining ties with the US and China is a strategic imperative to safeguard national interests.
Anwar also said that Malaysia would ensure its position as a centre of competitive trade, finance, and tech and that it can withstand the changes around it.
He noted that he has on previous occasions spoken of "the marauding Europeans’ in Asia’s chequered colonial history, leaving behind a trail of looting and plundering of the wealth and resources of the colonies.”
"Today, marauders may still be on the prowl though they may no longer be ‘geographically’ marked out because, whether from the West or the East, ‘those who have power’ may be states, corporations or even individuals or non-state actors,” he said.
Anwar said that at the end of the day, it is up to the nations themselves, particularly developing countries, to acknowledge the broader structural challenges faced.
"Be that as it may, the central insight remains - nations thrive when the state is both accountable and inclusive, fostering institutions that earn, sustain, and promote public trust,” he added. – Bernama
