Malaysia PM: ASEAN brings stability, prosperity to region
The operation method of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has brought stability and prosperity to the entire region, said Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak at a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur on August 14 to celebrate the bloc’s 50th founding anniversary.
Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak (Photo: Southeast Asia Globe)
Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – The operation method ofthe Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has brought stability andprosperity to the entire region, said Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak at aceremony in Kuala Lumpur on August 14 to celebrate the bloc’s 50th founding anniversary.
PM Razak said ASEAN member nations have maintainedfriendly ties and mad decisions based on the spirit of consensus and respectfor sovereignty of each country.
The ASEAN nations have united together but have not interferedin each other’s internal affairs, he stated, adding that the bloc is nowrecognised as a primary driving force in the regional political, security andeconomic architecture, under which major powers negotiate and discuss importantissues through the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS).
The Malaysian PM went on to say that ASEAN is leading anddriving forward the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), whichwould bring new opportunities to nearly half of the world’s population andpresents 30 percent of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
With a combined GDP of 2.6 trillion USD, ASEAN is the world'ssixth largest economy, and is projected to become the fourth largest economy inthe world by 2030 at the latest, with some estimating the region will reachthat position by 2030, he noted.
Mentioning theASEAN Community, PM Razak said ASEAN works towards a community that ispolitically cohesive, economically integrated and socially responsible and thatthe key to a people-centred community is putting the citizens at the heart ofASEAN.
He stressed thatall ASEAN members must strive to make the Southeast Asian region more relevantto its people and make people think of themselves as ASEAN citizens.-VNA
The ASEAN and its 10 partner countries agreed several major cooperation plans at the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference (PMC+1) sessions in Manila, the Philippines, on August 6.
The 50th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was observed across the world on August 8 with the participation of diplomats from ASEAN member states.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak (Photo: Southeast Asia Globe)
