Malaysia Fully Supports Philippines To Lead ASEAN, Build On Successes In 2026
CEBU (Philippines), Jan 30 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has expressed full support for the Philippines as the 2026 ASEAN Chair, and is confident that Manila would lead ASEAN through a successful chairmanship.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan is confident that the successes of Malaysia's 2025 ASEAN Chairmanship can carried forward and translated into action this year.
He said the Philippines as ASEAN Chair guided by the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together” had identified 88 sucesses across all three ASEAN pillars, namely security and politics, economy, and society and culture.
“This year, Malaysia hopes ASEAN would begin the implementation of ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future.
“Malaysia hopes ASEAN would translate the aspirations of ASEAN member states into initiatives and activities that would contribute towards ASEAN community development in a way that is sustainable and inclusive,” he told Bernama.
Mohamad was at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) Retreat which ended on Thursday.
Mohamad also congratulated the Philippines on the occasion of its ASEAN Chairmanship this year.
“As an ASEAN member state, we give our full support to the ASEAN Chair. This will become the ASEAN tradition for a lasting and enduring ASEAN Centrality,” he said.
The AMM Retreat was chaired by Philippines' Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro. It was the first major meeting under the ASEAN Political Security Community (APSC) pillar during the Philippines' ASEAN Chairmanship in 2026.
Mohamad said Malaysia would continue efforts to strengthen sustainable development and inclusivity for the benefit of the people through ASEAN digitalisation agenda, strengthening intra-ASEAN trade, and stepping up ASEAN support for small and medium enterprises.
“Malaysia feels a sense of continuity between the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairmanship and Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025 through shared priorities and successes,” he said.
The AMM Retreat also discussed priorities and successes under the Philippines' 2026 ASEAN Chairmanship following the 47th ASEAN Summit, and the outcomes of the Special Meeting of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers on the situation in Cambodia and Thailand.
The ASEAN foreign ministers also discussed ASEAN foreign relations and exchanged views regarding regional and international developments.
Mohamad also expressed concern regarding the situation in Myanmar following the recently held elections.
On the matter of the South China Sea, he called for the momentum to be sustained towards the finalisation of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct (COC) in July 2026.
On Gaza, he condemned the continued Israeli military operation and the killing of civilians in Palestine.
Aside from attending the AMM Retreat, Mohamad held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Singapore.
He said among the issues that were brought up included the South China Sea, the situation in Myanmar, the Thailand and Cambodia border conflict, and bilateral trade, and cooperation with ASEAN Dialogue Partners.
Through these meetings, he said various bilateral and regional issues were discussed to strengthen cooperation between Malaysia and other countries.
-- BERNAMA
