Dili: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today urged ASEAN to earn, re-earn, and fortify its unity, cohesion, and centrality to withstand escalating geopolitical rivalry and complex regional contemporary challenges. In his Presidential Lecture and Acceptance of the Conferment of the Grand Collar of the Order of Timor-Leste in Dili, Anwar emphasized that ASEAN cohesion and centrality should never be taken for granted.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Anwar stated, “ASEAN has gone through thick and thin, persevered and grown. Yet the lessons of the past few years reinforce what our founding fathers knew back then-our unity, cohesion, and centrality are not a given. They have waxed and waned through our nearly six decades of existence.” He stressed that ASEAN’s unity must be continuously earned and fortified, as a divided ASEAN would hinder the collective vision for a peaceful and prosperous region.

Anwar is on a historic two-day official visit to Timor-Leste, aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and supporting the nation’s imminent accession as ASEAN’s 11th member. He highlighted challenges such as transnational crime, great power rivalry, economic inequalities, and double standards in international laws, which require earnest resolve to overcome.

He acknowledged the struggles faced by the people of Timor-Leste, stating, “The people of Timor-Leste do not need to be told what it means to be oppressed or jailed… But you have also emerged stronger, more durable, more resolved not to have such cruelty being perpetrated against you or any other vulnerable people.”

Anwar also mentioned Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2025 theme of ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability,’ reflecting a vision for the region based on interdependent approaches. He urged ASEAN to be proactive in all spectrums of cooperation, especially in political-security and economic domains. He concluded by expressing confidence in a shared approach rooted in values in Timor-Leste, emphasizing the importance of collective success.