Hanoi (VNA) - The official visit to Malaysia and attendance at 46th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 46) from September 16-20 by National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, his spouse and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation marks a significant milestone for Malaysia - Vietnam relations, especially under the umbrella of the bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established in 2024, said Malaysian Ambassador to Vietnam Dato' Tan Yang Thai.
The ambassador told the press that AIPA 46’s theme "Parliament at the Forefront for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable ASEAN" places parliaments at the forefront of inclusive growth and sustainable development, resonating deeply with both nations’ shared priorities.
AIPA’s institutional design, which allows for delegations of up to 15-members per legislature and includes inter-parliamentary dialogues through various mechanisms and frameworks, opens up diverse avenues for bilateral collaboration, he said.
Malaysia hopes that this visit will expand parliamentary exchanges through joint committee participation, staff-level cooperation, and shared capacity-building initiatives. It is also expected to deepen alignment between the two national legislatures on policies that promote equitable and sustainable development, while encouraging collaboration through parliamentary caucuses to address regional concerns such as climate resilience, human trafficking, and sustainable investment. At the same time, the visit provides an opportunity to reinforce the role of parliaments in ensuring transparency and accountability in policy execution, thereby strengthening democratic legitimacy. Through this engagement, both Malaysia and Vietnam can elevate their bilateral legislative cooperation and contribute decisively to ASEAN’s vision of inclusive prosperity and regional sustainability, he added.
On the meaning and focus of the AIPA-46 in relation to ASEAN’s new development goals, the diplomat described the assembly as a pivotal moment in ASEAN’s trajectory, which aligns parliamentary engagement with the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
As both ASEAN Chair and AIPA President in 2025, Malaysia has anchored its leadership in the themes of inclusivity and sustainability, underscoring a commitment to ensuring “no one is left behind” in the region’s development journey.
The theme stresses that parliaments must transition from advisory bodies to active legislative leaders responsible for oversight, accountability, and translating regional aspirations into tangible laws and policies.
According to him, AIPA-46 will highlight the central role of parliaments in advancing inclusive and sustainable development, positioning them as key drivers of ASEAN’s long-term goals. It also seeks to promote peer learning among member countries by sharing best legislative practices and effective oversight mechanisms. At the same time, the event aims to strengthen parliamentary capacity to respond proactively to emerging challenges and opportunities in the pursuit of inclusive growth. In doing so, it encourages closer collaboration with civil society, the private sector, and academia to ensure that the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 is advanced through broad-based participation. Ultimately, the Assembly is tasked with formulating concrete policy and legislative recommendations that will help build a more equitable, resilient, and forward-looking ASEAN.
About his expectations for Vietnam’s participation in AIPA-46, he said Vietnam’s longstanding engagement in AIPA, marked by its early membership and robust contributions to regional parliamentary cooperation, remains invaluable. In the context of Malaysia’s 2025 chairmanship and AIPA presidency, Vietnam is well-positioned to amplify its leadership across key thematic domains.
Operating within AIPA’s structured framework, including General Assembly sessions and sectoral mechanisms like the Young Parliamentarians of AIPA (YPA), Women Parliamentarians (WAIPA), Caucus, and AIPACODD, Vietnam’s delegation can make meaningful contributions across multiple platforms, he said.
Malaysia anticipates that Vietnam will bring forward valuable insights on inclusive growth, the digital economy, sustainable development, and youth engagement. At the same time, Vietnam is well placed to share lessons from its ongoing domestic reforms that promote equitable growth and environmental resilience. Equally important, Vietnam’s participation is expected to generate recommendations aligned with AIPA’s objectives, particularly in advancing legislative frameworks and oversight mechanisms that strengthen inclusivity and sustainability across the region, he added./.
