Jakarta: The Southeast Asia Futures Initiative Centre (SEAFIC) has been officially launched with the aim of bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, academics, and innovators to explore and define the region's development over the coming decade. The centre will focus on areas such as digital transformation, green growth, supply chain resilience, investment inflows, and regional integration.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, SEAFIC is based in Kuala Lumpur and is designed to provide foresight for Southeast Asia's future. Instead of predicting specific outcomes, the centre aims to prepare leaders for various possibilities, explained SEAFIC founder and chairman Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz during the centre's soft launch in Jakarta. He highlighted the challenges posed by geopolitical rivalry, technological disruption, climate transition, demographic shifts, and supply chain realignments, emphasizing the need for preparedness.

The event was attended by notable figures including Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia Datuk Syed Mohamad Hasrin Tengku Hussin, Indonesia's Trade Vice Minister Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri, and Indonesian Business Council chairman Arsjad Rasjid. ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn also contributed a video message to the proceedings.

Tengku Zafrul, who also serves as the chairman of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), stressed the importance of complementing collective solutions with foresight to achieve what he termed ASEAN's 'golden decade.' This involves enhancing regional integration, fostering stronger public-private collaboration, and improving institutional capacity.

Through forward-looking discussions, SEAFIC aims to bolster the resilience, relevance, and unity of small and medium enterprises, people, and youths in navigating the complexities of the global environment.