Food security, climate change top ASEAN agenda during Malaysia’s chairmanship
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul (Photo: thestar.com.my)
Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Enhancing regional food security and tacklingthe pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’sASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Johari called on member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to pool their combined strength to handle food insecurity, elaborating that the Russia-Ukraine conflict has exacerbatedthe situation.
He held that ASEAN should combine itsstrengths, including sizeable agricultural land, finance, manpower and technologyto create a food-secure region.
The speaker emphasised the importance of sharingideas, experiences and expertise among the ASEAN member countries to bolster research anddevelopment efforts aimed at enhancing food security.
With a total population of 680 million, ASEAN boasts huge potential tobecome a substantial internal market, he said.
As the upcoming President of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, he reiteratedMalaysia’s commitment to advancing other significant agendas, including climatechange initiative during its tenure as the next ASEAN Chair.
He emphasised Malaysia’s interest in promoting renewable energy sources such ashydrogen and solar, and called on the ASEAN countries to invest in the younggeneration and education to develop future leaders capable of maintaining thebloc’s position as a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality./.
External Affairs Minister of India S. Jaishankar on March 27 expressed India’s intention to strengthen India-ASEAN relations, especially under Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN next year when he paid a courtesy call to Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Malaysia is gearing up for greener skies once the carbon levy collection by the airlines comes into effect as soon as the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) makes the necessary review, according to Assoc Prof Major Dr Mohd Harridon Mohamed Suffian, an aviation and aerospace expert.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued hot weather warnings for 14 areas across the country, particularly in the states of Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, Sarawak and Sabah.
The Malaysian government has agreed to establish the Energy Exchange Malaysia (Enegem) to facilitate cross-border sales of green electricity to neighbouring countries.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
ASEAN foreign ministers on April 19 issued a statement calling on all parties to immediately cease violence and exercise maximum restraint in the border areas of Myanmar.
Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul (Photo: thestar.com.my) 
