Malaysia praised for Asean’s ‘inclusive’ push, but challenges loom

Free Malaysia Today

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00:00At the midpoint of Malaysia's ASEAN chairmanship, analysts have praised ASEAN's efforts at

00:06inclusive engagement and deeper regional ties, but warned of significant challenges ahead.

00:12Iza Ibrahim of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies highlighted ASEAN's push

00:17for inclusiveness, citing new linkages like the inaugural ASEAN Gulf Cooperation Council-China

00:23Summit. Another major development has been ASEAN's move to appoint a permanent Myanmar envoy,

00:28which Iza said would lock in consistency and reflect sustained commitment to resolving the crisis.

00:34The current Troika system's annual envoy rotation has been panned for undermining continuity

00:39given the complexity of engaging Myanmar's many ethnic groups.

00:43Meanwhile, academic Johan Saravanamutu noted Malaysia's South-South orientation as a timely

00:49strategy to expand cooperation with Asia, Oceania, Africa, and Latin America, especially in response

00:55to harmful American trade policies under Donald Trump. Johan also identified Timor-Leste's

01:01accession to ASEAN as a key milestone, overcoming concerns about its size and economic status

01:07to complete the regional community. However, Assistant Professor at S. Rajaratnam's School of

01:12International Studies, Sarah Teo, warned that ASEAN's diversity could slow decision-making and that

01:18persistent tensions on the Thailand-Cambodia border might spill over and weaken consensus.

01:23Rising tensions in the South China Sea, including militarization and risk of miscalculation,

01:29were flagged as potential flashpoints, with Iza and Teo urging ASEAN to strengthen diplomatic channels

01:35and call for restraint to avoid escalation. Donish Rajareza, FMT.

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