THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has once again proven its effectiveness as a platform for crisis resolution and peace-building in the region, according to Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
Speaking at the 58th ASEAN Day celebration on Friday, Mohamad said the bloc’s founding in 1967 was a bold initiative by five nations—Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand—committed to navigating the post-war world through cooperation and diplomacy.
“ASEAN was born into a fragile world as a courageous experiment in peace and collaboration. Since then, it has evolved into a unique organisation whose diversity is now a benchmark for global governance,” he told reporters.
Under Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship, Mohamad said, the country remains steadfast in positioning the regional body at the heart of its foreign policy, guided by consensus and shared goals for a more inclusive and sustainable Southeast Asia.
With the launch of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 on the horizon, he described the 20-year roadmap as a strategic push toward building a more resilient, innovative, and people-centric region.
Mohamad also emphasised ASEAN’s ongoing efforts to address the political crisis in Myanmar through principled and pragmatic approaches, including expanded humanitarian engagement, ceasefire advocacy, and a proposal to appoint a permanent special envoy.
“Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair, convened stakeholders for talks in Putrajaya, leading to the successful brokering of a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia, which is now under close monitoring,” he said.
“As our founding members believed, peace is not a passive ideal—it must be pursued persistently. ASEAN has repeatedly shown both the will and the ability to do just that,” he added.
Mohamad confirmed he will lead an official visit to Myanmar on 19 September, accompanied by his counterparts from Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines, to discuss the country’s current political developments ahead of the 47th ASEAN Summit in October.
Separately, Mohamad reiterated Malaysia’s firm stance in support of Palestinian statehood, criticising the recent New York Declaration for including what he described as unwelcome “attachments and preconditions” for an independent Palestine.
“Malaysia supported the resolution along with 121 other United Nations member states. However, we were uncomfortable with the outcome, which included conditions that were never openly discussed,” he said.
“We want a fully independent Palestinian state—full stop. No attachments, no conditions,” he stressed.
Mohamad said those terms were introduced after a roundtable involving a handful of countries, adding: “Ideally, all 122 or even 192 UN member states should have been given the opportunity to comment on any such outcome.” - August 8, 2025
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