KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia's chairmanship of Asean must prioritise finding solutions to key challenges and ensuring no member state is left behind.
He said this included addressing the crisis in Myanmar, which required urgent attention to position Asean as a leading economic bloc.
"This involves tackling complex issues, such as Myanmar, because the foundation for economic growth lies in peace, political stability, effective economic policies, private sector participation and efficient public sector governance." Anwar also emphasised Malaysia's leadership role within the broader regional context.
"Asean is projected to be the fourth largest economic bloc in the world. A significant portion of global growth will come from Asean, India and China, driving the rise of a burgeoning middle class and increasing global influence," he said.
Malaysia officially assumed the Asean chairmanship on Jan 1, taking over from Laos, which handed over the responsibility during the 44th and 45th Asean Summits in Vientiane on Oct 11 last year.
Under the theme "Inclusivity and Sustainability", Malaysia will host more than 300 Asean meetings and summits throughout the year.
These include the Asean Economic Ministers' Retreat in Johor, the Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting and Post-Ministerial Conference in Kuala Lumpur, and the 47th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia has chaired Asean in 1977, 1997, 2005 and 2015.