Asean@50: Build on the dreams of the founding fathers

Voice of the future: Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin listening to ideas from 12-year-old Mohamed Shameel Mohamed Sareel, a participant of the TN50 dialogue session at Oriental Crystal Hotel yesterday.

As Asean celebrates its Golden Jubilee, it is opportune for us to take a step back and ask our people what they want of the regional bloc in the next 50 years before striving forward together as one community.

THERE has never been a better time to examine Asean as a regional bloc, how far we have come and where we are heading next. It has been exactly 50 years since Asean was formed and since then, this regional bloc has never been stronger and more prominent in the global stage.