SEPANG: Timor-Leste’s Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão could barely hide his excitement upon his arrival in Malaysia this afternoon ahead of the much-anticipated 47th Asean Summit.
When asked by reporters whether he was looking forward to the “big announcement” marking Timor-Leste’s accession as Asean’s 11th member on Sunday (Oct 26), Gusmão smiled and replied: “Of course, I came for this.”
The special aircraft carrying Gusmão and his delegation landed at KLIA’s Bunga Raya Complex on Friday (Oct 24), where they were received by Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil.
His early arrival reflected the nation’s commitment to regional engagement as it awaits progress on its Asean membership bid.
Timor-Leste formally applied for Asean membership in March 2011, nearly a decade after gaining independence in 2002.
Since then, the country has been working to meet the bloc’s political, economic and administrative requirements for full membership.
During the 40th and 41st Asean Summits in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in 2022, Asean leaders agreed to admit Timor-Leste as the 11th member, granting it observer status to participate in all Asean meetings.
At the 2023 Asean Summit in Indonesia, leaders adopted a roadmap for Timor-Leste’s full membership that focused on institutional strengthening, human capital development, and capacity-building support from Asean member states.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim earlier this month confirmed that Timor-Leste would be officially made a full member of Asean on Oct 26.
Anwar said that Malaysia, through the Foreign Ministry, was working hard to ensure that Timor-Leste is accepted as a permanent member of the regional bloc.
The Prime Minister also expressed confidence that Asean would continue to engage with and assist Timor-Leste, noting that the bloc itself had benefited from external support in the past.
“I am very optimistic that Asean, as a community, will continue to assist (Timor-Leste), just as we ourselves have benefited from the help of many countries such as the West, China, and others. I don’t think we should deny that opportunity to Timor-Leste,” he said.
The 47th Asean Summit and related summits will take place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from Oct 26 to 28 under Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship.
The summit, themed “Inclusivity and Sustainability”, will bring together leaders from the 10 Asean member states and dialogue partners, including the United States, China, Japan and India, in what is expected to be the largest Asean gathering since the bloc’s founding in 1967.
Global leaders set to attend include US President Donald Trump, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
2025 also marks Malaysia’s fifth time as Asean chair, following previous chairmanships in 1977, 1997, 2005 and 2015. – Bernama
