Kuala Lumpur: The ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) today paid tribute to the former President of Vietnam, Tran Duc Luong, who passed away on Tuesday.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Malaysia's Foreign Ministry secretary-general, Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin, expressed the nation's deepest condolences and acknowledged the former leader's contributions, particularly in the context of ASEAN cooperation. "On behalf of Malaysia, we extend our heartfelt condolences on the passing of the former president. Our Prime Minister has already conveyed his sympathies to the government and people of Vietnam, expressing our sorrow and recognizing the late leader's service and dedication to the nation," Amran stated before the meeting began at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) today.

The SOM serves as a crucial preparatory phase ahead of the 46th ASEAN Summit, which is slated to occur from May 26 to 27. The session commenced with Amran's welcoming remarks to ASEAN SOM Leaders, Timor-Leste's SOM representatives, and officials from the ASEAN Secretariat.

The 46th ASEAN Summit, themed 'Inclusivity and Sustainability', aims to gather leaders from the bloc's member states to deliberate on regional issues, foster economic cooperation, and advance the principles of inclusivity and sustainability. Kuala Lumpur will also simultaneously host the second ASEAN-GCC Summit and the inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China Summit.

Yesterday, Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also extended his condolences in a Facebook post, highlighting that the late president served during a pivotal period in Vietnam's history. He credited Tran Duc Luong with steadfastly upholding the spirit of the Doi Moi (economic) reforms.

Tran Duc Luong passed away at the age of 88, at 10.51 pm on Tuesday (May 20) at his residence in Hanoi, following a period of illness. His career included serving as Deputy Prime Minister from September 1992 to August 1997 and as President from September 1997 to June 2006.