Distinguished ASEAN Colleagues,
Timor-Leste Foreign Minister, HE Bendito Freitas,
Secretary-General of ASEAN, HE Dr. Kao Kim Hourn,
 
Excellencies, 
 
Welcome to Langkawi. And on behalf of the people of Malaysia, it’s an honour to welcome you all to the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat. 
 
Malaysia has the distinct privilege of chairing ASEAN this year, and I would like to take a moment to commend the Lao PDR, for successfully advancing ASEAN’s agenda last year.
 
2025 will be a historic and significant year, as we celebrate the 10^th anniversary, of the establishment of the ASEAN Community.
 
However, this Retreat is an opportunity, to visualise not just the year that lies ahead, but also how we will set the tone for a new era, in a world full of uncertainty.
 
ASEAN encompasses a region, that is one of the most diverse in the world. Yet, defying all expectations of outsiders, we are also among the most peaceful. 
 
We do not wage war on one another. We do not undermine each other’s sovereignty. 
 
We do so much more than simply coexist – we collaborate.
 
This is our way. And it is precisely the ASEAN way, that will carry us through the turbulence of the coming years.
 
Excellencies,
 
We now find ourselves in 2025, at the mid-point of a decade that has had a rocky start. We have endured a pandemic, lockdowns, conflicts, mass displacement, natural disasters, technological revolutions, and economic shocks. 
 
And that is only the first four years, Excellencies. 
 
These worldwide disruptions are not a temporary state; they are the new normal that highlights, the fragility of the global order.  

We must adopt a radically forward-thinking approach, and envision not just the next 12 months, but the years to come.

We have charted the course for the region for the next 20 years, through the ASEAN Community Vision (ACV) 2045 and its Strategic Plans. 
 
The ACV 2045 and its Strategic Plans will be adopted, during the 46th ASEAN Summit. 
 
They will chart a bold, inclusive, and forward-looking direction for the region that is realistic and pragmatic. 
 
Their shared ambition is to ensure the peace, stability and prosperity of the region and beyond, carrying us through any coming instability, with the wellbeing and livelihood of the peoples of ASEAN, at its core.
 
Excellencies,
 
How can we address the climate of instability that has settled on the world?

First things first. We must build our geoeconomic resilience. To prepare ourselves at all times for emergencies. To not only survive, but to thrive. Together.
 
The best way to do this, is by strengthening intra-ASEAN trade and investment. And we are ideally positioned, to make regional economic integration, our highest priority. 
 
Our members’ own diversity of economic strengths and capabilities, as well as ASEAN’s involvement in free trade agreements, such as RCEP and CPTPP, equip us with a wide range of partners and mechanisms, to build integrated supply chains.
 
Together, we are the fifth largest economy in the world. We have a combined GDP of 3.8 trillion USD, and a total population of 677 million people. 
 
There is immense potential here for continued growth, but we are so much stronger together. We must continue to promote, intra-regional trade and investment, to shield us from further shocks down the line. 
 
We are also facing a future, in which climate-induced natural disasters and health emergencies, are projected to occur with greater frequency. We must ensure that Southeast Asia is crisis-ready.
 
Which brings me to my next point: the trans-border threat of climate change. As one of the most vulnerable regions, ASEAN must continue to tackle this together. 
 
Our collective voice in global negotiations, such as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is vital to ensure our needs are heard by the world. 
 
There is much to prepare for. Above all, what we need to anticipate, are the potential challenges to ASEAN centrality.
 
As the global order shifts, numerous multilateral pacts have, and may continue to emerge, that may disrupt this region’s security landscape.
 
We must ensure that ASEAN remains our central, go-to platform for solution-seeking.

One frequently asked question relates to the incoming US presidency, and how this will shape the dynamics of the region, in the years to come.
 
Our region has become a site of concentrated superpower competition. 
 
Embedded in this tension is the unspoken truth: that this has only happened because, as I said earlier, we hold massive potential. Our highly geo-strategic position, our cultural versatility (ver-sa-TI-li-tee), and our collective economic weight. 
 
This is clear to see, and we hope that incoming leaders of our dialogue partner nations, will take note of the increasingly important part we play, and engage with us, diplomatically and open-mindedly.
 
It is a role that we must play for ourselves. We are the speakers, and not the spoken-for. 
 
We must drive our own path forward. As a collective, and as ASEAN, our strength is that of a giant, dear colleagues.

ASEAN’s strength lies in the way it represents, an entirely different model of engagement. One where shared decision-making, transcends differences in governance. 
 
It is one where influence is not measured, only by military might or economic power, but by the ability to foster dialogue, to encourage cooperation, and to build the trust necessary, for global peace and prosperity.
 
This is why the theme of Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN this year, is ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’. 
 
We aspire not just to set the pace for the next 12 months, but to set a new standard for global governance, revolving around long-lasting values, of inclusivity, diversity, and future-oriented planning. These are modelled on Malaysia’s Madani principles.
 
We will adopt an inclusive approach at every level, emphasising the importance, of supporting micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and ensuring that technology plays a key role, in their development.
 
We aspire to uplift, to provide equitable opportunities for all segments of society, and to ensure that no one is left behind.
 
In the spirit of this endeavour, we hope to see it reflected within ASEAN’s membership, that Southeast Asia is not a region of 10 nations – there are 11 of us. And all 11 of us deserve to participate fully, in an organisation that champions the wellbeing of this part of the world.
 
And we hope that all members can take note, that if we do not demonstrate inclusivity within our organisation, all of our rhetoric would ring hollow. 
 
We must walk the talk, and we must demonstrate trust and support for one another.
 
Excellencies,
 
I will conclude with the reminder that as a bloc, we have proven ourselves capable of so many things.
 
We have achieved wonders together. ASEAN turns 58 years old this year – almost six decades together. 
 
I picture the women and men who have come before us, who poured their tears and sweat into building bridges between our nations, and the pride that I feel is immense.
 
The work ahead will not be easy. We, too, must pour our tears and sweat, into the future of our home.
 
We will do it as one. The diversity of our region, far from being an obstacle, is symbolic of our power to build bridges.
 
As we navigate the future together, let us recognise that our success depends on our unity, our resolve, and our willingness to adapt to the demands of an ever-changing world.
 
It is all in our hands.
 
Thank you. 

SOURCE: Media Secretariat Team, ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ (AMM) Retreat 2025 

--BERNAMA