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KUALA LUMPUR, As Malaysia assumes the ASEAN chairmanship next year, it should focus on implementing more people-centric measures and enhancing intra-ASEAN trade, said experts.
Microsoft’s ASEAN regional director of legal and government affairs Dr Jasmine Begum said as ASEAN has grown up and evolved, Malaysia has emerged as an influential player, not just within the regional framework but also on the global economic stage.
‘What we see as an opportunity is beyond just movement of goods and trade, (but) it is the movement of people, small business. We have seen startup companies from across the region, whether it is Grab Malaysia, Gojek (Indonesian e-hailing company), going transnational, ASEAN and global.
‘Malaysia is in a great position to spearhead some of these leading edge areas but more importantly I am excited to see what it means to ASEAN people,’ she said during Bernama TV’s ‘The Nation ASEAN+’ programme today.
Meanwhile, Singapore Institute of International Affairs senior fellow Dr Oh Ei Sun said
Malaysia is a major trading power that trades not only with some of the world’s largest economies but also with many ASEAN members.
He spotlighted that intra-ASEAN trade currently accounts for only a quarter of the total trade between ASEAN countries and the world’s major economic powers.
‘If we could raise that to half, doubling the intra-ASEAN trade, it would be a notable achievement for Malaysia,’ he said.
Malaysia welcomes investments from fellow ASEAN countries, which can, in turn, invest more in other ASEAN nations, said Oh.
‘On that basis, maybe we can do something more by advancing towards economic collaborations with ASEAN economic communities.
‘That will make ASEAN the most economically dynamic and fastest growing region in the world,’ he said.
Oh emphasised that Malaysia should adopt a more people-centric approach as ASEAN chairman next year, highlighting how ASEAN cooperation and other initiatives can directly benefit the lives of everyday people.
On the other hand, Jasmine described inter-
and intra-ASEAN trade as both phenomenal and exciting.
She specifically highlighted the introduction of the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), which aims to drive the region’s digital economy growth to US$1 trillion (US$1=RM4.3255) by 2030.
She said Malaysia could work on the mobility of the digital economy that can move from city centres to economic hubs across the ASEAN region.
‘The digital economy is creating opportunities that enable accessible economic hubs for everyone,’ said Jasmine.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency
