Asean will continue to be cornerstone of M'sia's foreign policy

Kota Kinabalu: Asean will continue to be the cornerstone of Malaysia's foreign policy, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman. He said regional stability and the predictability of behaviour of countries in the region would contribute towards Malaysia's ability to trade as well as to play a leading role which would enhance its credibility in international affairs.

"Towards this end, an Asean which is more deeply integrated, rules-based and outward-looking would strengthen Malaysia's capability to achieve these aims.

"At the same time, Malaysia's able leadership in the Asean region must be evident in order for us to play a more influential leadership role globally," he told a news conference on the Jan 27-28 Asean Foreign Ministers' Retreat 2015, here, Monday.

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Malaysia is chairing Asean in 2015 after taking over from Myanmar, at an important time where the establishment of the Asean Community is scheduled by the end of this year.

The two-day Asean Foreign Ministers' Retreat, to be held at the Sutera Harbour Resort here beginning today (Tuesday), will be the curtain-raiser for the series of ministerial and related meetings under Malaysia's Asean chairmanship this year.

Themed 'Our People, Our Community, Our Vision', Malaysia's vision throughout the chairmanship is the creation of a 'people-centred Asean' involving all sectors of society in the grouping's activities.

Anifah said a 'people-centred Asean' means that the regional grouping would be an even more powerful vehicle for the realisation of the peoples' aspiration namely good governance, transparency, higher standards of living, sustainable development, further empowerment of women and greater opportunity for all.

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He explained that as a community, Asean would play a more active and constructive role in global affairs whilst maintaining its centrality.

However, on the economic aspect, Anifah said, it was imperative for Asean to move forward with its vision of creating a single market and production base to allow for real scale companies operating in the region to be competitive and efficient.

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