Committee of Permanent Reps to ASEAN convenes ahead of 46th ASEAN Summit

THE Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR) will convene in the Malaysian capital today to set the stage for the 46th ASEAN Summit at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).

The high-level meeting brings together ASEAN permanent representatives, the Ambassador of Timor-Leste, and the Deputy Secretary-General of the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC).

This session will be followed by a series of preparatory meetings, namely the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Preparatory Meeting (Prep-SOM), the ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) SOM Preparatory Meeting, and the ASEAN-GCC-China Preparatory Meeting.

The Prep-SOM plays a crucial role in aligning agendas and finalising coordination ahead of the Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) and ministerial or summit-level discussions.

It is regarded as an essential step to ensure seamless negotiations and decision-making during the main summit proceedings.

Later this evening, ASEAN senior officials will be feted at a welcome dinner hosted by Foreign Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin at Estate Federal Hill, Bukit Damansara, which will also be attended by the APSC deputy secretary-general, senior officials from Timor-Leste, and representatives from the GCC and China.

This year’s ASEAN Summit is expected to be particularly significant as it includes the 2nd ASEAN-GCC Summit and the inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China Summit, reflecting ASEAN’s growing engagement with key international partners.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, during his official visit to Saudi Arabia last December, emphasised that the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit aimed at forging an influential trilateral alliance that could unlock immense potential for multilateral cooperation across strategic sectors.

He noted that ASEAN, the GCC, and China each possess distinct strengths that could be leveraged through structured collaboration.

The GCC comprises six member states, namely Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman.

Looking ahead to ASEAN’s strategic direction, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has outlined a bold vision for regional growth, highlighting stronger economic integration, trade expansion, and cross-border energy connectivity as key pillars of Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship this year.

Responding to questions about ASEAN’s evolving role amid growing global geopolitical competition, Anwar said Malaysia is committed to driving ASEAN beyond its traditional role as a neutral platform towards becoming a more cohesive, values-driven force in the Indo-Pacific.

“As part of our thrust this year, we are focusing on strengthening ASEAN’s cohesiveness, increasing economic interest and trade, and boosting investments among member countries,” he said during a briefing session related to the ASEAN Summit 2025 with editors-in-chief of local and international media at the Seri Perdana Complex in Putrajaya last Saturday.

Meanwhile, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said over 1,200 media personnel, including over 500 from international news agencies, have registered to cover the 46th ASEAN Summit on May 26 and 27.

He said the figure reflects the strong interest from global media agencies in this summit, which will be chaired by Malaysia.

With the theme Inclusivity and Sustainability, this will mark Malaysia’s fifth time chairing ASEAN, following previous terms in 1977, 1997, 2005 and 2015. — BERNAMA