Anwar calls on ASEAN-BAC to drive policy change

3 days ago

written by

3 days ago

by AUFA MARDHIAH

PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (picture) has reaffirmed the institutional role of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC), calling on the body to propose actionable ideas that can influence government decisions across the region.

He said ASEAN-BAC has become a standard feature in ASEAN meetings, with its proposals regularly presented to regional leaders for deliberation.

“The collaboration between government and private sector is fundamental, critical to development,” Anwar said in his opening remarks at the ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with Representatives of ASEAN-BAC today.

He added that this partnership is vital to accelerate development and ensure that economic initiatives reflect the realities and needs of the business community.

Addressing the current geopolitical landscape, Anwar said ASEAN must brace for a more complex global environment, especially amid power shifts involving major countries. He said this calls for stronger national and regional resilience to safeguard ASEAN’s long-term interests.

“We will have to strengthen our internal domestic decisions. The consensus among ASEAN leaders is that while we must negotiate with others, our priority must be national resilience and inter-ASEAN resilience,” he said.

Anwar also questioned why intra-ASEAN trade and investment remained limited, despite the bloc’s size and potential and encouraged ASEAN-BAC to table specific policy recommendations that could be adopted by member states.

“The potential is enormous. So please come up with very specific proposals on how we can force the policymakers to accept some of your recommendations,” he concluded.