KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today that the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) continues to persevere amid rising contestation and mounting global uncertainty.
Anwar said these crosswinds test not only the economies of member states but also the regional bloc’s collective resolve to uphold cooperation and its belief that understanding and dialogue can still prevail in a divided age.
He said Malaysia recognised the weight of this responsibility when it assumed the chairmanship.
“Leadership is never a matter of routine, it is a matter of choice, to define priorities, renew Asean’s sense of purpose and chart a course worthy of our peoples’ hopes.
“The world feels unsettled, the old order no longer certain, the new one not yet defined.
“And yet, amid these trials, Asean endures. Our strength lies not in uniformity, but in the conviction that respect and reason still bind us together,” he said.
Anwar also said Malaysia — as the bloc’s Chair — had sought to realign Asean’s priorities to ensure it remained resilient, relevant, and responsive to the times.
One example, he said, is fostering conditions for peace in Myanmar, which required patience and persistence.
“Guided by the Five-Point Consensus, Asean has drawn on every available channel and partner to reduce violence and ease the humanitarian crisis.
“But lasting peace cannot be imposed. It must be Myanmar-owned and Myanmar-led — only then will reconciliation endure,” he said.
Nevertheless, Anwar said the world will see the strength of conviction at work when Cambodia and Thailand sign their peace agreement during the summit, bringing resolution to a deadly five-day border clash in July.
“It reminds us that reconciliation is not a concession, but an act of courage — and that peace, once chosen, can reshape the future of nations,” he said.
