Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Assalamualaikum warrahmatullahi wabarakatuh and a very good afternoon.

I’m pleased to welcome you all once again.

Our gathering today marks the beginning of a new chapter in the history of ASEAN, and what we hope to be a fruitful endeavour in the pursuit of our long-term dreams for the region.

ASEAN’s strength has always been measured by its capacity to adapt. From its founding during the Cold War, to its community-building efforts that persist to this day, ASEAN has constantly championed cooperation in the face of uncertainty, ensuring shared purpose amid plurality. 

Over the past year, as Chair, we have advanced the agenda of inclusivity and sustainability.

By centering our theme on those two principles, we ensure that the next phase of ASEAN’s growth is anchored, in enduring values.

This will be decisive as we enter an era marked, by increased geostrategic contestation, environmental challenges, and technological disruption.

In that regard, today’s launch carries special significance. It reflects not just what we have achieved together, over the course of the year, but what we will leave behind, long after this chairmanship concludes.

In no uncertain terms, the three initiatives launched today, will form Malaysia’s legacy of our 2025 chairmanship, serving ASEAN and its member states well into the future. 

These initiatives :

a. (1) the MSME Excellence Centre for Green Transition in ASEAN;

b. (2) the report, ASEAN Ahead: ASEAN STI Ecosystem Foresight 2035 and Beyond; and 

c. (3) the book, ASEAN in 2025: Shaping an Inclusive and Sustainable Future,

d. are the culmination of months of collaboration, reflection, and vision.  

Each, in its own way, prepares ASEAN for a changing world. Together, they affirm our collective determination, to shape a future that is inclusive and sustainable. 

Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen, 

Throughout this year, our focus was clear: to ensure that ASEAN’s progress is inclusive, leaving no member state or community behind; and sustainable, balancing growth with responsibility. 

The 3 initiatives launched today, represent that ethos in action. Practical, forward-looking, and deeply rooted in ASEAN’s shared values. 

The MSME Excellence Centre for Green Transition in ASEAN, or MEGA, embodies the principle that economic transformation, must begin at the grassroots. 

Across the region, micro, small, and medium enterprises are the backbone of our economies. They employ the majority of our workforce, and drive local innovation. 

Through MEGA, these MSMEs will gain access to an education and training hub, that will facilitate their transition to green, sustainable business models.  

By enabling all businesses to participate in the green transition, we are not only protecting livelihoods, but also preparing ASEAN’s economy, for the realities of a low-carbon future.   

The second initiative, the ASEAN Ahead: ASEAN Science, Technology, and Innovation Ecosystem Foresight 2035 and Beyond report, captures the region’s effort to anticipate the future, rather than be overtaken by it. 

In this regard, foresight is not gazing into a crystal ball, hoping to predict the future, but about readiness. About seeing further so that we can act sooner.

The ASEAN Ahead report identifies the trends, disruptions and opportunities that will define science, technology, and innovation in the next decade, and offers pathways to enable STI, to become an engine of our economies and for ASEAN’s collective prosperity.  

Through this, we will ensure that ASEAN’s progress is guided not by chance, but by choice. Grounded in knowledge, driven by innovation, and directed toward a future that is inclusive and sustainable. 

The third initiative, the ASEAN in 2025: Shaping an Inclusive and Sustainable future book, stands as both reflection and legacy. 

With contributions from over thirty of the region’s leading thinkers, it gathers ideas across geopolitics, sustainability, trade, economics, and technology. These themes will define our shared destiny. 

This book reminds us that ASEAN’s centrality and relevance cannot be taken as a foregone conclusion.  

Rather, it demands continuous reflection, renewal, and reinvention. Guided by brave ideas that chart the course, for ASEAN to remain a dynamic and forward looking community, in the decades ahead.  

Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen, 

Taken together, these three initiatives reflect Malaysia’s approach throughout our Chairmanship.

As we prepare to conclude our chairmanship, we do so with confidence, that ASEAN remains strong, united, and ready to face the future. 

The work continues, but so does the conviction that together, this region can remain a beacon, of inclusivity and sustainability for the world.

To that end, it is my pleasure to launch these three initiatives, and to congratulate: 

● The Centre for Entrepreneur Development and Research, and the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development, for the MSME Excellence Centre for Green Transition in ASEAN; 

● The Academy of Sciences Malaysia, and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, for the ASEAN Ahead: ASEAN Science, Technology, and Innovation Ecosystem Foresight 2035 and Beyond report; and  

● The Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for their book ASEAN in 2025: Shaping an Inclusive and Sustainable Future. 

May our synergised efforts guide us with passion, towards a safer future for all who call this region home. 

Thank you.

--BERNAMA