Kuala lumpur: The 47th ASEAN Summit, scheduled to take place in the capital from October 26 to 28, is set to be a significant event with leaders from ASEAN member states and Timor-Leste, as well as global leaders and representatives, confirming their attendance.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim highlighted that the summit has garnered participation from top representatives worldwide, including the United States, China, Japan, Russia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. This makes it one of the largest international gatherings ever hosted by Malaysia.
In addition to ASEAN leaders, the summit will also include the participation of the World Bank president, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief, and representatives from the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO), the East Asia Business Council, and the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat. Furthermore, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) director-general Gilbert F. Houngbo and the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) president Gianni Infantino will attend a special ASEAN session.
The Prime Minister responded to Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari (PH-Gombak) during Ministers' Question Time at the Dewan Rakyat, addressing inquiries about the list of heads of state and leaders of international organisations attending the summit, as well as Malaysia's preparations under its ASEAN Chairmanship.
ASEAN consists of 10 member states: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Anwar confirmed that Myanmar's acting President Senior General Min Aung Hlaing will not attend the summit.
Discussing preparations, Anwar stated that meticulous arrangements are being executed by thousands of personnel from various agencies, including the Foreign Ministry, Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry, Prime Minister's Department, Royal Malaysia Police, Immigration Department, and Royal Malaysian Customs Department.
The Prime Minister expressed appreciation to all personnel working to ensure the summit's smooth execution, aiming to project a positive image of Malaysia. He also noted Timor-Leste's participation as a result of Malaysia's ongoing support for the country's entrance as a full ASEAN member.
Anwar emphasized Timor-Leste's geopolitical connection to the ASEAN region and highlighted Malaysia's role in supporting its official participation. He mentioned that the summit's outcome would reflect ASEAN's collective efforts and initiatives by Malaysian ministries to strengthen intra-ASEAN trade and promote local currencies under the Chiang Mai Initiative.
The Finance Minister elaborated on ASEAN's economic cooperation, emphasizing new agreements in the digital and energy sectors and efforts to expand cross-border collaboration among member countries. He cited agreements in the energy sector involving Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Singapore, including power connectivity projects linking Sarawak to Indonesia and Sabah to the southern Philippines.
Regarding the summit's venue, Anwar explained that Kuala Lumpur was chosen over Putrajaya due to logistical and security considerations. Citing his experience with the ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit previously held in the capital, he expressed confidence in Malaysia's ability to fulfill its responsibilities at the highest standard.