JAKARTA – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will lead the Malaysian delegation to the 43rd Asean Summit and related summits here from September 5-7 – his second after the 42nd Asean Summit in Labuan Bajo.
However, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir said this is the prime minister’s first summit with the seven Asean Dialogue Partners, namely Australia, China, Japan, India, South Korea, the United States and Canada.
“The prime minister has a busy schedule…he is expected to arrive tomorrow evening accompanied by his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Dr Wan Ismail, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz and a delegation,” he told a press conference here today.
On Tuesday, the prime minister will participate in the 43rd Asean Summit and the opening of the Asean-Indo Pacific Forum as well as hold meetings with the Malaysian diaspora and Indonesian friends here in the Temu Anwar programme.
Anwar will be participating in six summits on Wednesday, namely the 26th Asean-China; 24th Asean-South Korea; 26th Asean-Japan; 26th Asean Plus Three; 11th Asean-United States; and Asean-Canada to launch the Asean-Canada Strategic Partnership.
Four summits will be held on Thursday, namely the 20th Asean-India; 18th East Asia (EAS); Third Asean-Australia; and 13th Asean-United Nations (UN).
During the summits, 11 bilateral meetings have been scheduled, namely with South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol; Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese; US vice-president Kamala Harris, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Meetings will also be held with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet; Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin; Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Timor-Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, UN secretary-general António Guterres; and World Economic Forum founder and executive chairman Prof Klaus Schwab.
Zambry said the Asean Summit this time will be preceded by several meetings tomorrow involving Asean foreign ministers.
Others are the 27th Asean Political-Security Community Council Meeting and the 34th Asean Coordinating Council Meeting.
Zambry is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with counterparts Cambodian Foreign Minister Sok Chenda Sophea, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić, and Peruvian Foreign Minister Ana Gervasi.
“Malaysia’s participation in the summit this time will be able to further strengthen Asean centrality within the Indo-Pacific region, and promote Asean’s inclusiveness and openness in its relations with external partners,” said Zambry.
Malaysia’s involvement also shows the nation’s firm commitment to Asean’s community-building efforts, relationship with external partners, as well as efforts to promote peace and stability when facing increasingly challenging regional geopolitical evolution.
“Malaysia will also be able to highlight the country’s voice, views and interests in the region,” he said when asked about Malaysia’s stance on regional and global challenges, including border, economic, food security and supply chain issues. – Bernama, September 3, 2023
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