Kuala Lumpur: Climate change, food security, and cross-border crime are among the key issues set to be addressed at the 14th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (ASEAN-AIPA Interface), which convenes tomorrow. AIPA President and Dewan Rakyat Speaker, Tan Sri Dr Johari Abdul, highlighted that resolutions on these matters would be tabled before being submitted to the government for feedback and commitment.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Dr Johari stated, “We have agreed that all the concerns brought forward by the parliaments, through their respective speakers, will be presented during tomorrow’s session, where government and parliamentary leaders will meet face to face. Climate change is a critical issue. The world must act collectively to address it, and we want the government to take more decisive action.” Dr Johari made these remarks after chairing the ASEAN-AIPA Interface pre-meeting at Parliament today.

Also in attendance at the pre-meeting were AIPA Secretariat Secretary Ar Siti Rozaimeriyanty Abd Rahman, Deputy Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat Datuk Dr Ramli Mohd Nor, and Alice Lau Kiong Yieng, alongside ASEAN parliamentary representatives and over 50 delegates. Earlier, delegates visited the Deer Park within the Parliament compound. The deer, a gift from Indonesia’s second president, Suharto, in 1983, symbolize the longstanding diplomatic ties among ASEAN nations, particularly between Malaysia and Indonesia, and the strengthening of legislative cooperation across the region.

Delegates also toured the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara before attending an official luncheon. The ASEAN-AIPA Interface, to be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) in conjunction with the 46th ASEAN Summit, aims to serve as a key platform for dialogue between ASEAN heads of state and government and AIPA representatives, including speakers and deputy speakers.

The session is expected to be chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, under the theme ‘Parliament at the Forefront for Inclusive Growth and a Sustainable ASEAN’.