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Kuala Lumpur: Asean has the potential to become a ‘middle power’, which is a power that can play an important role in dealing with tensions between great powers, not with the aim of war, but as a mediator and balancer.

Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary-general Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir said with the transition from a unipolar system, where one superpower dominates, to a multipolar system, Asean is seen as being able to bring a call towards a diplomatic settlement in the face of international disputes.

“It just so happens that Malaysia is currently the chair of Asean and Malaysia can play a role in bringing matters related to this dispute so that they can be coordinated.

“For example, on the issue of the crisis in Myanmar, we hope that it will be resolved,” he told reporters after moderating the BN Forum: ‘The Impact of Trump’s Election and His Policies on the World’ at the World Trade Centre (WTC) Kuala Lumpur, here last night.

Zambry, who is also the higher education minister, said the forum was organised in a series aimed at raising public awareness on global issues and their impact on the country.

He said this is important because the world is now moving towards a more complex and dynamic life, which is necessary for the public to understand foreign issues and their implications for the country.