Editor – Southeast Asia Analyst.
Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship for 2025 began like most others of its kind; Lukewarm pledges on the Myanmar civil war, focus on trade amidst geoeconomics rivalry among great powers, reiterations to previous commitments and a healthy amount of promises that raised eyebrows. These include the first ASEAN-GCC-China summit and expressed concerns on security issues around the world. All of these were laid out in a Press statement from Malaysia in January 2025. In addition to the usual to-do list, Prime Minister Anwar appointed former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra to be part of an “informal” team of experienced statesmen, a team that reportedly involved former Foreign Ministers George Yeo and Retno Marsudi. Most analysts saw this move as purely performative to sell the idea that PM Anwar was locked in as his ASEAN Chair capacity.
From early to mid 2025 business went on as usual for PM Anwar as ASEAN Chair. He made frequent foreign visits, championed for a rules based world order, gave speeches on the necessity to maintain ASEAN centrality while trying to please both its neighbors and external great powers that are becoming increasingly coercive towards Southeast Asian countries. His online meeting with the Myanmar’s National Unity Government remained theatrical at best. Most of these words lacked follow up actions.
In the middle of a predictable calendar for PM Anwar, he was suddenly tasked to mediate a border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand on 24th July, a crisis that was largely caused by the troubled political landscape in their respective domestic affairs. Despite being bogged down by protest against his administration at home, PM Anwar managed to bring the representatives from the 2 countries to sign a ceasefire on 28th July, only for it to be broken within hours after coming into force. A development that PM Anwar simply shrugged off.
Fast forward to the 47th ASEAN summit held in Kuala Lumpur on 26th to 28th October observers and media alike focused on memorable moments of the event. Reporters zoomed in on President Trump’s and other heads of states’ attendance, the signing of the Kuala Lumpur peace accord between Cambodia and Thailand and of course inaugurating Timor Leste as the 11th member. Overall, in the final moment, it seems that observers completely forgot about the other commitments and reiterations in the beginning of Malaysia’s Chairmanship.
Although the aforementioned highlights of the summit are worth celebrating, it must be noted that they were not the result of Malaysia’s extraordinary diplomatic efforts. Indeed Malaysia made use of its agency but those events were simply results that were bound to happen if ASEAN waited long enough. Heads of state from around the world would at the very least be interested to attend a summit that takes place in a region with tremendous market potential especially amidst geoeconomic rivalry. 2 members of ASEAN engaged in open conflict with no clear objective that lies beyond its jurisdiction simply must show goodwill so as to not be labeled as belligerent, even if they were to break the ceasefire in less than a month. Finally Timor Leste’s ascension into ASEAN is owed primarily to its tireless diplomacy rather than ASEAN member states’ collective forward thinking vision.
Over the years Southeast Asian heads of state have gotten away after a half hearted performance in their 1 year stint as ASEAN chair and PM Anwar is not much different. Observers and experts usually let this slide due to the notion that ASEAN is powerless by design. While this is not entirely wrong, it does not have to stay this way. Southeast Asians across the region that are tired of trade barriers due to tariffs from major trade partners can demand heads of states to find alternative trade partners. Similarly, Southeast Asians that are forced into poor working conditions provided by foreign investors can demand tighter rule of law from their governments.
If Southeast Asian Presidents, Prime Ministers or even Monarchs are truly as devoted to their people as they claim to be or if in the very least they are concerned about the legacy they leave behind, they will give in to the demands of the people by utilizing everything in their disposal, including ASEAN, a regional organization that proved capable of ushering in peace and prosperity through collective bargaining.