Latest news with #58thAseanMinisterialMeeting
The Star
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
An American ‘insult' to Malaysia
WHEN news broke that American social influencer Nick Adams will be the next ambassador to Malaysia, it coincided with the last day of the 58th Asean Ministerial Meeting (AMM) and Related Meetings. To say that it was 'surprising' is an immediate reaction in and outside of the meeting rooms at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on that day is best summed up as dismay. Adams created a lot of buzz not just in Malaysia. Even certain Singapore media organisations were more interested in stories on this naturalised American that they almost forgot the cringeworthy display of ignorance of the American ambassador nominee to Singapore during the US Senate confirmation hearing recently, as seen in the viral video clip of political appointee Dr Anjani Sinha struggling to answer questions from Senator Tammy Duckworth on Singapore and Asean. It does come as a surprise how limited is his knowledge about Singapore, one of US close allies in the region. Well at least he told Duckworth he is aware that Malaysia is the Asean chair this year. When US President Donald Trump announced Adams's nomination, more details surfaced about him, thanks to his social media accounts. It was widely reported that through his X handle @NickAdams, he stated: 'If you don't stand with Israel, you stand with terrorists!' We hear you loud and clear Mr Adams! Malaysian politicians were swift in their reactions, asking the Malaysian government to reject Adams as the US ambassador. The PKR Youth International Relations Bureau chief Arief Izuadin said that the appointment of Adams is viewed with deep concern as his background is closely associated with extremist ideologies and divisive rhetoric in contrast to the values upheld by the Malaysian government and its people. 'Such a rejection should not be misconstrued as hostility but rather seen as a necessary measure to safeguard the integrity of bilateral relations and ensure that diplomatic envoys can contribute constructively, in a manner aligned with the shared aspirations of both nations,' said Arief. On Friday, a group of PKR Youth members protested outside the US embassy and submitted a formal memorandum of protest. Selangor PAS Youth Chief Mohamed Sukri Omar said the government should uphold the dignity of a nation that consistently advocates humanitarian issues, especially Palestine. 'Nick Adams is not just a controversial figure. He openly spreads hatred towards Islam and supports the Zionist colonial regime without consideration,' he said. However, a senior Malaysian official described reaction from certain parties as 'being emotional rather than thinking rationally on this nomination.' 'He has to go through the Senate hearing first. Let's wait,' said the official. Adams's nomination was announced by Trump as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in Kuala Lumpur to meet his counterparts from the Asean region. It was the several firsts for Rubio including the first Secretary of State's visit to Asia under Trump's 2.0 administration and his first time meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi who was also at the Asean gathering. Unlike what we see on TV, Rubio came off as a much friendlier person, feeling at ease taking impromptu questions from the media. 'His body language was friendly during official meetings unlike some of those in his delegation. He was professional in exchanging views and came off as a warm person,' said one official. When asked why Adams was the right person to be nominated, Rubio replied: 'The President makes those nominations. I support the nomination. He went through our process of the Presidential Personnel Office and we look forward to the Senate confirming him so he can get here (in Kuala Lumpur) and be part of our team.' The writer says Rubio (left) came off as a much friendlier person as seen in this picture with Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, feeling at ease taking impromptu questions from the media during the 58th ASEAN Foreign ministers meeting. — Photo courtesy of Mohamad Hasan's Facebook page Trump's political appointee to Malaysia raises the question of the value of the bilateral relationship between Malaysia and the United States. Malaysia considers itself as an important partner to the US in many areas but when a controversial figure like Adams is being considered, we can't help but to ask why? Indian-born Dr Sinha, as expected, in his statement at the Senate confirmation hearing gave a long list of promises of what he intends to do while in Singapore. Although no hearing date has been set for Adams, I am quite sure many Malaysians will be interested to listen to what Adams knows about our country and more importantly if he would face similar grilling by the Senate members and give convincing replies. We do not judge the person on where he likes to eat his steak or that he extols the virtues of American Greatness but Malaysia does not tolerate anybody who supports Zionism and is anti-Palestine. Malaysia and the US for the longest time have been at odds on the issue of Palestine. Sending someone with such a track record is clearly showing disrespect to Malaysia. Does this nominee understand the culture and perspective of the country he has been assigned to or will he end up lecturing Malaysia on its policies? But what if Adams is posted to Malaysia once he is confirmed, can Malaysia say no? Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil when asked whether Malaysia has the right to reject Adams's appointment said: 'In diplomacy, there is a concept known as 'agrément', where the host country must first accept the nominee. The same applies in reverse – when Malaysia appoints its envoys abroad, approval from the host nation is also required.' Malaysia's political nominees have been rejected by the host government in the past. Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz's nomination was rejected by the Swiss government simply because he was still a serving Member of Parliament. But he later went to Washington DC for a two-year term as the ambassador. Sometimes, a foreign government can sit on the 'agrément', a subtle indication the nominee is not accepted. Yes, we have every right to reject but if Malaysia takes such an action, there may be consequences. But it will be heroic if the government dares to say no, not just to Malaysians but many people outside the country.
The Sun
08-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
KL gears up for 58th Asean Ministerial Meeting
KUALA LUMPUR: The metropolis is gearing up to impress as Asean foreign ministers descend on the country's capital. Kuala Lumpur is rolling out the red carpet as it prepares to host Asean foreign ministers from July 8 to 11 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, with the city aiming to project a polished image as Malaysia holds this year's Asean chairmanship. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa said KL City Hall is spearheading logistics and city preparations for the 58th Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting – from safety to street-level cleanliness. 'We're not just welcoming high-level delegates, we're showcasing Kuala Lumpur to the region. 'City Hall is working closely with multiple agencies to ensure everything runs smoothly, and that the city leaves a strong impression,' Zaliha told reporters after presenting keys to 10 Dapur Digital (cloud kitchen) entrepreneurs at Menara DBKL yesterday. Efforts to spruce up the city are already in full swing, but the minister stressed that maintaining cleanliness is not just the job of local authorities. 'We've launched several initiatives involving City Hall, local communities, NGOs, hotels and student volunteers. Cleanliness is a shared responsibility – it's not just up to the council.' The 58th Asean Ministerial Meeting (AMM) will see foreign ministers from 10 member states – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – gather in Kuala Lumpur. Timor-Leste's foreign minister will also attend as the country pushes for full Asean membership. On the Dapur Digital initiative, the minister said the five pilot digital kitchens launched last year had shown strong results. As of end-May, the combined sales of digital kitchens at the People's Housing Projects in five sites – Intan Baiduri, Wangsa Sari, Kerinchi, Kampung Limau and Setapak Jaya – had surpassed RM1.08 million. 'This is clear proof that when given the opportunity, our people can thrive. 'Building on this success, Budget 2025 has allocated RM5 million to roll out 25 more digital kitchens nationwide. Ten of these will be in KL, positioning the Federal Territory as the frontrunner in this initiative,' said Zaliha. The 10 KL sites are: Seri Semarak, Hiliran Ampang, Seri Alam, Raya Permai, Kampung Muhibbah, Taman Mulia, Beringin, Pangsapuri Sentul Utara, PA Sri Kedah and PA Seri Perlis II. The Dapur Digital initiative serves, not only as modern community kitchens, but also as food processing hubs, e-commerce spaces, skills training centres and venues for community activities.
The Star
05-07-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Asean, the preferred choice
KUALA Lumpur has been experiencing hotter than usual weather in the last few weeks, with scattered rain showers hardly providing any relief for city dwellers. And with the new electricity tariff that kicked in on July 1, many are wondering how much higher their next bill will be with the expected increase in energy consumption to keep themselves cool. This is not a weather report, neither is this column discussing how much your next electricity bill will be. For sure this week will see the temperature rising at the venue of the annual Asean foreign ministers meeting which Malaysia, as Asean Chair this year, is hosting. Top diplomats from Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States will meet, each having his or her own agenda to bring to the table. Before we go into geopolitical issues, let's break down what will happen between July 8 and 11 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre where the 58th Asean Ministerial Meeting (AMM) and Related Meetings are taking place. It will be a hectic four days as Asean foreign ministers meet to discuss and follow up on the decisions made by leaders at the 46th Asean Summit in May – this includes the accession of Timor Leste as the 11th member of the grouping, which is set to take place at the 47th Asean Summit in October. Timor Leste's membership was questioned yet again recently when a foreign news report said Myanmar is against its inclusion. A senior Malaysian official said as far as the chair is concerned, a consensus was reached at the May summit to admit Timor Leste. 'That train has left the station. You should have raised your objection or abstained during the meeting. We have already decided,' said the official. After their meeting, Asean foreign ministers will meet 11 dialogue partners in separate sessions, known as the Post Minis-terial Conference (PMC). US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is currently on his first Asian tour, will be flying into town for the Asean-US meeting. He is also expected to join his counterparts from across the globe for a series of other meetings. The PMC sessions are held to review cooperation between Asean and its dialogue partners, including upgrading relations with the grouping. But what comes after the PMC will be the interesting sessions: the 15th East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers meeting, and the 32nd Asean Regional Forum (ARF). The EAS comprises 18 member countries: the 10 Asean countries and Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the United States. Timor Leste will be attending as an observer. The ARF consists of 27 countries: Asean (plus Timor Leste) and Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, China, North Korea, South Korea, the European Union, India, Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Sri Lanka and the United States. North Korea's presence, though, is in doubt since Malaysia severed diplomatic ties with the country in 2021. Participation at the EAS and ARF is mostly at the foreign ministers' level. In the past some countries, already at odds over border disputes, would raise their bilateral problems, especially at the ARF. So expect some sparks to occur. 'When the EAS and ARF are convened, participants will exchange views on regional and international developments, and normally the countries will state their countries' position. 'Say one country expresses its views on the situation in the South China Sea and tries to point fingers at China, don't expect Beijing to take it lying down. Sometimes these super powers don't care, they will voice out objections. That is normal and to be expected. 'But the point is that the EAS and ARF provide platforms where countries can have a dialogue although they may not necessarily agree on everything. At least it is a good platform for constructive engagement,' said a senior diplomat. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, as chair of the AMM, has one request for countries that want to raise bilateral problems like borders: find another forum. 'I hope that the ARF will not be the venue for them to 'talk' to each other. It is not fair to bring their bilateral issues to the ARF, it is not the right forum,' he said. Mohamad conceded that issues like the South China Sea territorial dispute will be on the table. Negotiations for a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea among claimant states have taken many years. Mohamad pointed out that communications channels among the countries must always be kept open. The South China Sea dispute has been a contentious issue at Asean meetings for several years as Malaysia – along with affected Asean members Brunei, the Philippines, and Vietnam – is claiming a stake in the area. Taiwan is another claimant party. Malaysia's position on the South China Sea issue is clear and has always been consistent. We are a claimant state, and Malaysia takes the position that all claims must be based on and resolved in accordance with international law, in particular the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The ARF, which started in 1994, is meant to foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues in the Asia-Pacific region, with the goal of promoting confidence-building and preventive diplomacy. But there have been criticisms that the ARF has not moved much beyond confidence-building measures. The next stages would involve preventive diplomacy and conflict resolution. One Asean official said the fact that the 27 countries are attending the ARF and giving their views at the forum is in itself an achievement. 'We keep on talking and keep on building trust, I think that in itself is an achievement. The ARF is the premier security forum in the region and is led by Asean. 'We can't solve all the problems in the world, but we can acknowledge some of the problems and try to resolve some of them and bring those parties to the table. 'The channels of communication, trust, dialogue, familiarity come from the horse's mouth rather than from a second source. It is a good way to understand the nations and where they are coming from. That is important,' he said. During this AMM, two more countries, Algeria and Uruguay, will sign the Asean Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, paving the way to deepen and expand cooperation with Asean. The region is on track to be the fourth largest economy by 2030 and offers a big market with 650 million people. By the end of the year, it will be Asean 11 with the expected addition of Timor Leste. More countries are opening their missions in Jakarta, where the Asean Secretariat is based. There are also strategic reasons for doing so. There is no question why Asean is still the preferred choice for many countries and no denying its convening power in managing geopolitical and security issues.
