Kuala lumpur: ASEAN policymakers have expressed their concerns over the need to ensure that only the highest standards of steel are used in the construction of high-rise buildings in the region, said Investment, Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Liew Chin Tong. He announced that policymakers have agreed to propose to their respective governments the formation of an ASEAN Council on Steel.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Liew stated that the council would bring together government officials responsible for steel to discuss common issues in a more structured gathering. The concerns are rooted in recent seismic activities, such as the earthquakes in Thailand and Myanmar, as well as the earthquake risks prevalent in the region. Liew emphasized that even Peninsula Malaysia has to be cautious after the recent earthquake in Segamat.

While the steel industry associations in ASEAN engage through the Southeast Asia Iron and Steel Institute (SEAISI), Liew highlighted that the governments of ASEAN nations do not seem to communicate effectively about the steel industry. Typically, trade officials meet regularly within ASEAN, but those responsible for industrial matters rarely engage internationally. Industrial development is often seen as a domestic issue, with countries viewing themselves in competition with their neighbors for foreign investments.

Liew, who recently co-chaired the inaugural roundtable on the steel industry with SEAISI secretary-general Yeoh Wee Jin, noted that the meeting was attended by government officials from Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Myanmar. Discussions also covered other critical issues, including steel capacity management, decarbonisation, trade issues like dumping and countervailing, as well as technology transfer, training, and skills development.