Seri iskandar: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has confirmed that Timor-Leste will be made a full member of ASEAN on October 26. Anwar, serving as the ASEAN Chairman, announced Malaysia's dedicated efforts, through the Foreign Ministry, to facilitate Timor-Leste's acceptance as a permanent member of the regional bloc.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Anwar expressed Malaysia's longstanding support for Timor-Leste's ASEAN membership. He highlighted the recent intensified efforts to ensure its integration as a permanent member. He made these remarks during the 'Anwar Meeting with Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) Students' program at its Chancellery in Seri Iskandar. The event was attended by several dignitaries, including Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad and Minister of Higher Education Datuk Seri Dr. Zambry Abd Kadir.

The upcoming 47th ASEAN Summit, scheduled from October 26 to 28 in Kuala Lumpur, will witness the participation of influential world leaders such as US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, alongside the heads of government from ASEAN countries and dialogue partners.

In a Joint Statement from the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the 58th ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) on July 9, ministers reaffirmed their commitment to support Timor-Leste's swift integration into ASEAN's major economic agreements. This move aims to facilitate its full integration into the regional bloc. Timor-Leste, Southeast Asia's youngest nation, applied for ASEAN membership in 2011, following its independence on May 20, 2002.

In February, Malaysia pledged US$200,000 to support the Timor-Leste Unit at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta. This contribution aims to expedite the full membership process and includes technical training through the Malaysia Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP), which has already trained 319 Timor-Leste officials in various fields.