KUALA LUMPUR: Asean is a region seasoned by challenges, and we should neither retreat nor rush in our actions, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim tells his colleagues in the region.
His message arrives amid the challenging economic climate surrounding the US tariff issue, which has recently caused anxiety for many countries around the globe.
“From currency shocks to global contagion, we’ve seen it all. We have weathered disruption. And each time, we have rebuilt not merely what was lost, but what was possible,” Anwar said in his address which was read out by Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan at the Gala dinner held on Wednesday (April 9) in conjunction with the four day 12th Asean Finance Ministers’ and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting (AFMGM) here.
“Still, resilience must be paired with purpose. The world is not standing still, and neither can we,” he said.
“The ground beneath the global economy is shifting. What once felt settled – rules, norms, the spirit of open exchange – is now less certain, more brittle,” he added.
Anwar stated that Asean was no longer a quiet corner of the global economy but central to it.
However, to command influence, he said Asean must be united, able to speak in one voice and act with shared intent.
Anwar said this was why the themes of Sustainability and Inclusion guided Malaysia’s Chairmanship. He said these are not simply rhetorical flourishes but practical ambitions.
He said Asean’s strength had always been finding harmony amid differences.
Anwar also expressed regret that he could not attend the dinner due to pressing and urgent matters, adding that he would be present at the closing ceremony of the four-day meeting on Thursday (April 10).
