Speeches, Statements & International Documents

OPENING REMARKS

BY YB FOREIGN MINISTER

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Distinguished ASEAN Colleagues,

Secretary-General of ASEAN,

1. I’d like to welcome my distinguished Colleagues and our guests back to Kuala Lumpur, and to thank you all for convening here today.

2. Your presence at this Special Meeting reflects ASEAN’s continued commitment, to addressing the ongoing situation along the border, of Cambodia and Thailand.

Excellencies,

3. In 1967, we, the five Southeast Asian nations— Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand established ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

4. The founding fathers of the region not only established a regional institution but also laid the groundwork and foundation for our region’s future.

5. When ASEAN was established, it was intended to be, first and foremost, a political and security project – a project aimed at regional peace.

6. That is the genesis of ASEAN.

7. This declaration was made in 1971, declaring ASEAN as the Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN).

8. It is then further cemented with the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in 1976.

9. Its message was timeless: non-interference, peaceful settlement of disputes, renunciation of the use of force and effective cooperation for regional stability.

10. All these concretised ASEAN’s commitment to regional peace and cooperation.

11. And for nearly six decades, ASEAN has lived by it.

12. In many ways, ASEAN is a political and security miracle – resilient, adaptive, and forwardlooking.

13. Today, ASEAN stands at a critical juncture in regional and global affairs – a period defined by geopolitical disruptions that challenge the very foundations of our regional order.

14. This threatens ASEAN’s credibility as one of the most peaceful and successful regional organisations and integration projects in modern history.

15. And in a highly interconnected ASEAN and world, a security shock is an ASEAN matter and a global concern. This is why everyone must make cessation of hostilities and peaceful resolution a top priority.

Excellencies,

16. The Chair is deeply saddened by the civilian casualties and the prolonged conflicts affects livelihoods and contribute to significant internal displacements.

17. As Colleagues are aware, since the start of hostilities in July, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has tirelessly worked to facilitate an amicable solution through constant engagement, with both the Prime Ministers of Cambodia and Thailand. 

18. This had resulted in the 28 July Ceasefire Agreement and the subsequent agreements between both countries, as well as the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord signed on 26 October 2025 by both the Prime Ministers of Cambodia and Thailand, and witnessed by Prime Minister Anwar and President Donald Trump.

19. The Chair urges both parties to undertake full and effective implementation of these agreements and Peace Accord.

20. Throughout the engagement process, Prime Minister Anwar has also communicated actively with the other ASEAN Leaders, in order to address the situation.

21. On the 12th December, he conveyed Malaysia’s concern, and urged both sides to show restraint, cease all hostilities, and refrain from further military action, including the use of force or forward movement of armed units, with effect from 13 December 2025 at 22:00 (UTC+7).

22. Yesterday, my Prime Minister had engaged with the Prime Ministers of Cambodia and Thailand to discuss the best way forward towards deescalating the tensions that have arisen between the two countries.

23. Prime Minister Anwar essentially underscored the importance for Cambodia and Thailand to uphold the spirit of dialogue, wisdom, and mutual respect in order to bring the tensions to an end and to preserve peace and stability in the region.

24. Additionally, Malaysia’s Chief of Defence Forces, through the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT) mechanism, has also been actively engaging his counterparts from Cambodia and Thailand, to monitor the situation on the ground. On this point, we will hear a briefing from the AOT during our closed-door session.

Excellencies,

25. It is my hope that this Special Meeting will renew our efforts, for a return to stability in the affected areas.

26. ASEAN must do whatever is necessary to maintain regional peace and stability.

27. Our goal goes beyond de-escalating the tension. 

28. We must intensify trust-building among the conflicting parties and provide the horizons for dialogue despite the prevailing differences.

29. If we do not yet have all the answers to the conflicts, we do have something just as powerful: the lessons of the past.

30. It is by looking back at the wisdom, solidarity, and trust that carried us through times of upheaval that ASEAN can find its compass to navigate the future.

31. Our founders understood this well when they recognised that our collective strength was our greatest asset.

32. They cemented that vision in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in 1976 – a treaty that continues to remind us of three enduring fundamentals.

33. First, the primacy of diplomacy. The “ASEAN Way” has proven to be our strongest tool— rooted in dialogue, consultation, and consensus.

34. Second, the power of solidarity. Time and time again, our unity has shielded us from external pressures and guided us through crises.

35. And third, the foundation of trust. Our resilience is built on trust – not only in our institutions, but in each other as a family of nations.

36. As we navigate the present regional concerns, let us remain guided by the wisdom of our past: dialogue over conflict, unity over division, and prosperity shared by all.

37. And let us never forget that the greatest wisdom of ASEAN is our collective will – the will to bind ourselves together in friendship, cooperation, and trust.

Excellencies,

38. In a highly interconnected ASEAN, we must consider the wider ramifications, of the continued escalation of this situation, for the people we serve. I urge you all to give this matter your most urgent attention.

39. Remember: in the eyes of the world we have grown and thrived, and in the eyes of the world we must also overcome our challenges.

40. On my part, I thank His Excellency Prak Sokhonn and His Excellency Sihasak Phuangketkeow, and other Colleagues, for your continued engagements with me as Chair.

41. Your trust in Malaysia, as Chair of ASEAN, has been deeply meaningful. And Malaysia, in turn, has great confidence in the commitment of both Cambodia and Thailand to an amicable solution.

42. We must show the world that same resilience and adaptability, that has been our defining trait over the past nearly sixty years.

43. Thank you. I look forward to having a fruitful and constructive discussion with you all today.