Forum on “The Future of ASEAN Under Malaysia's Chairmanship”
On 11 July 2024, the Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations (IDFR) organised a forum entitled “The Future of ASEAN Under Malaysia’s Chairmanship” at Zenith Hotel, Putrajaya. The program was attended by as many as 100 officers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as various other ministries and government agencies, academics, NGOs, and think tanks.
The organisation of the forum was an initiative to discuss both the challenges and achievements of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) as a regional organisation as well as the steps Malaysia must take to develop a better future for ASEAN. Malaysia will become the chairman of ASEAN in 2025, and will thus become the host of various programs, meetings, and the ASEAN summit next yearto chart a clear course to navigate ASEAN into a brighter future. In this regard, this forum brings together experts from members of the academia and industry practitioners, whose views and experiences can be utilised through comprehensive and balanced discussions.
Three panellists with expertise related to the discussion topic have been invited to be speakers for this forum, namely Professor Dr. Sufian Jusoh, Director of the Institute of Malaysia and International Studies (IKMAS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Professor Ruhanas Harun, Professor at the Department of International Relations, Security, and Law, National Defence University of Malaya (UPNM), and Dato’ Dr Ilango Karuppannan, member of the Association of Former Malaysian Ambassadors (AFMA).
The event began with a welcoming speech from YBhg. Dato’ Syed Bakri Syed Abdul Rahman, Director General of IDFR, who stated that the forum was important to gather inputs in preparation for Malaysia’s 2025 ASEAN chairmanship, which can be beneficial to stakeholders, especially policymakers, practitioners, and academics.
IDFR Expert Researcher, Dr Murni Wan Mohd Nor, was the moderator for the forum. All three panellists presented insightful views covering not only issues of economic, trade, security, and territorial disputes, but also discussed non-traditional security issues such as refugees, climate change, human rights, and food security, among others. Malaysia needs to be prepared to face these issues, which require continuous dialogue and negotiation at the ASEAN level to be resolved. The panellists agreed that Malaysia should lead ASEAN in line with the ‘ASEAN Way’, which has long been a core principle of ASEAN to maintain its regional stability and harmony.
The forum session became more engaging with the Q&A session where participants raised questions and shared their views, making the discussion more in-depth. The forum concluded with a group photo with all participants and a lunch banquet at the hotel dining hall.
