Asean foreign ministers, sec-gen pay courtesy call to PM Anwar during 58th AMM
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday (July 9) received a courtesy call from Asean foreign ministers, marking the start of a series of high-level engagements in conjunction with the 58th Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) and related meetings here.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (pic) led his Asean counterparts to the meeting, which took place ahead of the official opening ceremony by Anwar.
Present were Brunei's Second Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Setia Erywan Yusof; Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn; Indonesia's Foreign Minister Sugiono; Laos Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane.
Joining them were Philippines Foreign Secretary, Ma Theresa P. Lazaro; Singapore Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan; Thailand Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa; and Vietnam Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son.
Timor-Leste Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Minister Bendito dos Santos Freitas also attended the meeting, in accordance with the country's current status as observer to the regional bloc.
Asean Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn was also present at the 30-minute meeting.
The ongoing 58th AMM and related meetings are being held under Malaysia's Asean Chairmanship for 2025 with the theme 'Inclusivity and Sustainability'.
More than 1,500 delegates from Asean and its external partner countries are participating in 24 ministerial-level meetings spanning four days. - Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- New Straits Times
China's Wang Yi arrives in Malaysia to attend 58th AMM meetings
SEPANG: China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Kuala Lumpur today to attend high-level talks held in conjunction with the 58th Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) here. Wang and his entourage were received at the Bunga Raya Complex of Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at 11pm. International media reported yesterday that Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, will attend a series of ministerial meetings in Kuala Lumpur from July 10 to 11. These include the China-Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting; the Asean Plus Three (APT) Foreign Ministers' Meeting involving China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea; as well as the East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers' Meeting. He is also scheduled to attend the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) Foreign Ministers' Meeting. Malaysia is currently hosting the 58th AMM and related meetings under its 2025 Asean Chairmanship theme, "Inclusivity and Sustainability". A total of 24 foreign ministers-level meetings will be held, including bilateral discussions with Asean's external dialogue partners — Australia, Canada, China, the European Union (EU), India, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In addition, four trilateral meetings involving Malaysia, the Asean Secretariat, and sectoral dialogue partners — Brazil, Norway, Switzerland and Turkiye — are also scheduled. This marks the fifth time Malaysia is chairing Asean, having previously held the position in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015. - Bernama
Malaysia Sun
5 hours ago
- Malaysia Sun
News Analysis: Increased tariffs will strain Malaysia-U.S. ties, disrupt trade links
by Jonathan Edward, Wang Jiawei KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Bilateral ties between Malaysia and the United States are likely to be strained following the U.S. administration's imposition of a 25 percent tariff on Malaysian exports, according to analysts. Noting that Malaysia has limited leverage against the unilateral decision by the U.S., they urged the country to deepen ties with other key trade partners and build economic resilience against such external disruptions, as the tariffs and other disruptive policies are likely to persist as a long-term trend. Economist Samirul Ariff Othman told Xinhua that although Malaysia has avoided emotional retaliation, continued provocation or further economic pressure may leave the government with no choice but to adopt a tougher stance. "Quiet diplomacy can only go so far. Should the U.S. persist, Malaysia will need to recalibrate its strategic alignments," he said. Khazanah Research Institute Deputy Director of Research Yin Shao Loong said that the tariffs seem to be driven more by the U.S. administration's failure to meet its own deadlines for tariff negotiations, and that negotiations are likely to continue and eventually make headway. Meanwhile, Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers President Soh Thian Lai said that the latest round of tariffs risks destabilizing business links and supply chains with feedback from manufacturers during the initial implementation of the 10 percent tariff already pointing to serious concerns over the sustainability of export operations. "This latest escalation risks further destabilizing an already fragile industrial landscape, severely impacting export competitiveness and placing additional strain on manufacturers," he said. Soh added that while strategic exports such as semiconductors were exempted, the broader ecosystem supporting the semiconductor industry including parts, machinery and services remains exposed to disruption. The Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), a Malaysian think-tank, cautioned the government against accepting terms imposed by the U.S. that will be harmful to Malaysia's long-term strategic interests while stressing the need for a collective defense by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) against disruptive policies. "The underwhelming outcomes from bilateral negotiations for Malaysia and other countries reinforce the need for collective action to combat Washington's divide-and-conquer strategy. We can not allow fragmented engagement to weaken ASEAN's position on the global stage," it said in a statement. "Malaysia must continue to avoid being drawn into retaliatory trade barriers or a false choice between major powers, and continue to diversify and deepen partnerships with countries that share its interest in open and mutually beneficial trade," it said.
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
Palang Pracharath attracts Pheu Thai MPs in major shift
BANGKOK: Palang Pracharath Party has been successfully drawing former Pheu Thai MPs, signalling a shift in political allegiance amid growing disillusionment with the ruling party. The fate of the Pheu Thai Party continues to decline, as both father and daughter, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (pic left) and current Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, enter a period of dangerous signals. It comes as no surprise that the NIDA Poll has reflected a sharp drop in the popularity of Paetongtarn and Pheu Thai, especially in the North-East region. As a result, Gen Prawit Wongsuwan (pic right), leader of the Palang Pracharath Party, has appeared more energised, even offering himself as a potential prime minister should legal issues force Thaksin's daughter out, much like the downfall of Srettha Thavisin. Political experts are already predicting that the Palang Pracharath Party will struggle in the next election. However, recent movements in the North-East are proving to be a surprise, reinforcing the countdown to the Paetongtarn administration's possible collapse and the possibility of an early dissolution of parliament. This comes after Santi Promphat, the party's deputy leader, who has occasionally appeared among prominent figures in the blue camp (Bhumjaithai Party) on July 8, announced the Palang Pracharath Party's 21 prospective candidates for parliament. Nearly all of them are former MPs from the North-East region and former Pheu Thai candidates. It has become clear in recent times, following the departure of "Wiwatchai Hotrawaisaya," a former five-term MP from Si Sa Ket and former candidate for the provincial governor of Si Sa Ket, who left Pheu Thai and joined the Palang Pracharath Party. Similarly, "Piyawat Pansaicheua," a former two-term MP from Yasothon under Pheu Thai, has also begun to make his move. The reason former Pheu Thai MPs from the Northeast are abandoning the party is largely due to the controversies surrounding the leaked audio clip between Prime Minister Paetongtarn and former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, as well as the situation along the Thai-Cambodian border. Another factor is the dissolution of the party's quota system for ministers—once based on regional or provincial quotas. Particularly with the reshuffle of Paetongtarn's Cabinet, the ministerial slots now seem to favour political allies and business interests. The lack of attention from the "Big Boss" (Thaksin) to MPs who had once been the backbone of election campaigns has proven to be the final straw, prompting many to leave as they assess the diminishing prospects of Pheu Thai, with the government now seemingly in a countdown to its end. NIDA Poll's latest survey, conducted in the second quarter of 2025, reveals that the popularity of Paetongtarn and Pheu Thai has plummeted, especially in the Northeast. The party's support in this region has dropped significantly. Meanwhile, the rising popularity of "Gen Boonsin Phadkhlang," the Commander of the 2nd Army, a descendant from the Northeast, who has vowed to protect the nation's sovereignty, has deepened the sense of disillusionment among the people of the Northeast toward the Pheu Thai Party. For over two decades, the people of the Northeast have supported Thaksin's political parties, from Thai Rak Thai to Palang Prachachon and Pheu Thai. However, at this moment, they are facing a crisis of faith. Since mid-June 2025, Pheu Thai supporters in Si Sa Ket's Sriratana district were taken by surprise when "Sia Phu," Wiwatchai Hotrawaisaya, opened a new office with Palang Pracharath Party signage. Many still remember the image of Thaksin leading a large campaign team earlier this year to support Wiwatchai, who was running for the position of Provincial Administrative Organisation President of Si Sa Ket under Pheu Thai. On Jan 25, 2025, Thaksin made a public plea during a campaign speech in Kantharalak: 'Phu (Wiwatchai) has been with me since Thai Rak Thai, never wavering or switching sides. Please vote for Phu on my behalf.' However, Thaksin's plea had little influence as "Sia Phu" lost to the incumbent, Wichit Traisaranakul, in a landslide, leading to the mocking phrase "Thaksin's charm is fading." The Hotrawaisaya family is a local business dynasty from Ubon Ratchathani, with two family members having served as MPs for the province—Phaitoon Hotrawaisaya and Phulsawat Hotrawaisaya. Wiwatchai relocated his family from Ubon Ratchathani to establish a business in Sriratana, Si Sa Ket, where he entered local politics and became an MP for his first term under Thai Rak Thai. In the last Si Sa Ket election, Wiwatchai was defeated by Thana Kitpaiboonchai of the Palang Pracharath Party, who is the nephew of Wichit Traisaranakul, the Si Sa Ket Provincial Administrative Organization President. "Sia Phu" Wiwatchai has also convinced his former colleague, Piyawat Pansaicheua, a former MP from Yasothon, to swap his red shirt for Palang Pracharath. Piyawat, who lost in the last election for the Yasothon 1 constituency to the new female politician Supaporn Salabsri from the Thai Sang Thai Party, is now looking to make a shift. Supaporn is preparing to change parties in the next election and is expected to run under Pheu Thai instead of Piyawat. Supaporn and two other MPs from Thai Sang Thai are supporting Thakorn Tantasith, a party-list MP, to support Paetongtarn's second Cabinet, resulting in Thakorn's son, Chantawit, being appointed as Deputy Minister of Commerce. The flow of former Pheu Thai MPs from the Northeast to Palang Pracharath, regardless of their personal reasons, reflects the broader reality that Pheu Thai's momentum is faltering. The "Thaksin charm" truly appears to be losing its grip. - The Nation/ANN
