Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called on parliamentary institutions of ASEAN member countries to provide a broader platform for their members to express their views.
Speaker of the Malaysian lower house (Dewan Rakyat) Johari Abdul said PM Anwar raised the matter during the ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with Representatives of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) held in conjunction with the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits on October 10.
The act aims to encourage ASEAN parliamentarians to share new ideas without restriction to achieve the goal of becoming the world’s fourth-largest economic bloc.
Speaking after the meeting, PM Anwar said ASEAN should strengthen its position amid growing external challenges. He stressed that with a population of 680 million, ASEAN's potential must be fully tapped.
Johari, who will assume the AIPA presidency on October 18, said the session also discussed the importance of maintaining good relations between ASEAN governments and their respective legislative bodies to ensure that the people’s concerns are addressed by the executive level.
In addition, regional security and cooperation were discussed to reinforce Southeast Asia’s position as a peaceful and neutral zone to attract more foreign investments.
Malaysia will officially assume the role as ASEAN Chair on January 1, 2025./.
