Focus on regional issues ahead of ASEAN Summit

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim discussed regional economic and security challenges ahead of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit later this month.

President Marcos said the two of them exchanged views on pressing issues facing ASEAN, including regional stability and economic cooperation.

“We spoke about the challenges ASEAN is currently facing as a region… I look forward to continuing these discussions with our fellow leaders at the upcoming summit in Kuala Lumpur,” he said in Filipino.

The ASEAN Summit will be held in Kuala Lumpur from May 26 to 27, while a separate summit involving dialogue partners is planned for later this year.

For his part, Anwar, who described Mr. Marcos as a “good friend,” said their discussion covered ASEAN developments and global concerns.

During the call, Anwar said he urged extending the ceasefire in Myanmar to ensure humanitarian aid can continue reaching affected populations.

He and Mr. Marcos both agreed that aid must be delivered “without discrimination or restrictions.”

Anwar also discussed Malaysia’s role as this year’s ASEAN chair and said the country could use its position to highlight its relevance to the United States in ongoing tariff negotiations.

“Regarding the issue of tariffs, as ASEAN chair, I would like to inform you that Malaysia can leverage its position to demonstrate its interest to the US in global tariff negotiations. The US decision to suspend the implementation of tariffs for 90 days now provides relief to allow for further discussions on related matters given Malaysia’s strengths in several product types,” Anwar said.

Anwar also expressed hope that the May 12 midterm elections in the Philippines would be successful.

Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Marcos, Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim discuss regional issues ahead of ASEAN Summit.”