Desaru: The International Media Centre (IMC) for the 31st ASEAN Economic Ministers' (AEM) Retreat in Desaru officially began operations today. The Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), the Official Media and Coordinator of the IMC for ASEAN Summit 2025, is providing media requirements including news materials and photos to local and international media personnel.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, IMC Coordinator Zaria Mohd Nasri stated that 98 local and international media representatives have registered to cover the AEM Retreat. "As the official media, Bernama will provide comprehensive coverage across all our platforms including Bernama Wires, Bernama Photo, Bernama TV (Astro 502), Bernama Radio and Bernama Digital," she told Bernama today.
Zaria mentioned that the facilities at the IMC include workstations, high-speed Internet facilities, coffee and tea rooms, information counters, and interview management. More than 200 delegates from the 10 ASEAN member states and observer country, Timor-Leste, are expected to attend the retreat.
The ASEAN economic ministers will gather for the retreat chaired by Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz on Feb 28. They are set to discuss 18 Priority Economic Deliverables (PEDs) aimed at driving regional economic integration, inclusiveness, sustainability, and digital trade.
Before the retreat, the 12th Working Group-ASEAN Economic Community (WG-AEC) meeting was held on Feb 22-23, followed by the 47th High-Level Task Force on ASEAN Economic Integration (HLTF-EI) for two days starting yesterday. The Preparatory Senior Economic Officials' Meeting (Prep-SEOM) for the 31st AEM Retreat is scheduled for Feb 26-27.
The AEM Retreat is part of Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship this year with the theme 'Inclusivity and Sustainability', reflecting the country's aspirations for a more inclusive, prosperous, and sustainable ASEAN community. Malaysia assumed the ASEAN Chairmanship from Laos on Jan 1, marking the fifth time Malaysia has held this position after 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015.
ASEAN, founded on Aug 8, 1967, consists of 10 Southeast Asian countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, with Timor-Leste's accession to member state status still in progress.