In 1997, it helped steer ASEAN through the Asian Financial Crisis.

In 2005, it hosted the first-ever East Asia Summit and witnessed the birth of the ASEAN Community in 2015.

Now, in 2025, Malaysia's legacy shines once again – this time through sustainable diplomacy and inclusive leadership.

International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Department of Political Science and Madani Studies lecturer Prof Dr Zainal Abidin Sanusi said the just-concluded 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur proved Malaysia's ability to balance global expectations with regional realities.

He said under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, ASEAN projected itself as a centrist bloc – engaging all major powers but beholden to none.

The summit drew an extraordinary line-up of world leaders – from United States President Donald Trump and Chinese Premier Li Qiang to the Presidents of Brazil (Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva) and South Africa (Cyril Ramaphosa), as well as the Prime Ministers of Japan (Sanae Takaichi), Australia (Anthony Albanese) and Canada (Mark Carney). Their presence reflected global confidence in Malaysia as a trusted convener of dialogue.

"Anwar's calm handling of Trump's sudden 'Liberation Day' tariffs, which unsettled Asian markets, showed Malaysia's diplomatic maturity.

"Instead of reacting emotionally, he redirected the debate towards mutual respect, shared prosperity and a rules-based order. It was composure, not confrontation, that carried the day," he told Bernama today.

Zainal Abidin said one of Malaysia's proudest achievements was the formal admission of Timor-Leste as ASEAN's 11th member – a milestone patiently shepherded under Malaysia's chairmanship.

"It wasn't just symbolic. It was a moral commitment that no nation in our region should be left behind. Inclusion, for Malaysia, is not a slogan. It is the foundation of sustainable stability," he added.

He said Malaysia also quietly facilitated a breakthrough beyond its borders – the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Declaration on Peace and Security, known as the KL Peace Accord, which both Anwar and Trump witnessed.

"The accord ended the deadliest border clash in decades and reaffirmed Malaysia's role as a trusted mediator who is persuasive, principled and pressure-free," he said.

According to Zainal Abidin, Malaysia's chairmanship reframed sustainability not as a side theme but as a core diplomatic strategy.

"From green-economy cooperation and digital integration to energy security and social sustainability, ASEAN's agenda this year mirrored Kuala Lumpur's belief that lasting peace depends on balanced growth and shared responsibility.

"This broader vision connects prosperity with fairness and inclusiveness with stability. Malaysia proved that sustainability isn't just environmental – it is the new architecture of diplomacy," he said.

As the Philippines prepares to assume the ASEAN chair in 2026, Zainal Abidin said it inherits Malaysia's momentum and moral mandate.

"Manila must now turn vision into delivery, driving green growth, digital inclusion and social equity across the region. If Malaysia rekindled ASEAN's purpose, the Philippines must realise its promise," he added.

From Kuala Lumpur to Manila, the baton passes not merely as a ceremony but as a call to sustain ASEAN's leadership of values and vision.

-- BERNAMA