KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today stressed that ASEAN must continuously earn, reinforce, and safeguard its unity, cohesion, and centrality to face intensifying geopolitical rivalries and evolving regional challenges.
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today stressed that ASEAN must continuously earn, reinforce, and safeguard its unity, cohesion, and centrality to face intensifying geopolitical rivalries and evolving regional challenges.
Delivering his Presidential Lecture and during the conferment of the Grand Collar of the Order of Timor-Leste in Dili, Anwar underlined that ASEAN’s solidarity and central role cannot be taken for granted.
“ASEAN has endured ups and downs, persevered, and grown. But recent years remind us of what our founding fathers understood — our unity, cohesion, and centrality are not automatic. They have fluctuated throughout nearly six decades of our existence.
“Beyond rhetoric, ASEAN’s cohesion and centrality must be earned, re-earned, and fortified. A fragmented ASEAN will only derail our shared vision for a peaceful and prosperous region. That is why efforts to strengthen unity must continue, especially as we confront complex challenges,” he said.
Anwar is on a historic two-day official visit to Timor-Leste, which began yesterday, to deepen bilateral ties and back the country’s expected accession as ASEAN’s 11th member. — Bernama
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