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How did Malaysia set the scene for the Philippines ASEAN chair and cope with the vary of challenges?
ASEAN newsrooms have joined collectively to offer an preliminary evaluation of the progress and challenges confronted by ASEAN in 2026 underneath the chairmanship of the Philippines.
On this collection, regional newsrooms Rappler, Mizzima, Kiripost, and Malaysiakini delve into the important thing points going through this regional physique.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025 unfolded amid intensifying great-power rivalry, the Myanmar disaster, South China Sea disputes, and financial uncertainty — a convergence that pushed Kuala Lumpur towards disaster containment quite than formidable reform.
Inside such constraints, nevertheless, analysts argue Malaysia carried out credibly, notably in maintaining ASEAN-led mechanisms practical — the ASEAN Regional Discussion board remained energetic, and Malaysia efficiently mediated the Thailand-Cambodia border dispute.
‘Diplomatic prowess’
For Institute of Strategic & Worldwide Research (ISIS) analyst Izzah Khairina Ibrahim, Malaysia’s chairmanship was a case research in diplomatic prowess and regional management.
The massive turnout on the ASEAN Summit, she stated, mirrored not solely Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s private diplomacy, but in addition on Malaysia’s long-standing, principled, and non-aligned overseas coverage formed by its dependence on exterior market entry and international stability.
This method translated into initiatives that strengthened geo-economic diversification, notably the Regional Complete Financial Partnership (RCEP).
Myanmar 5PC ‘ineffective’
Whereas Malaysia maintained restraint on the South China Sea problem, stopping deeper inside division, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman’s assistant professor of worldwide relations Liew Wui Chern noticed ASEAN’s function in managing the Myanmar disaster as “diplomatic, albeit with restricted influence.”
He highlighted that the ASEAN 5-Level Consensus (5PC) remained ineffective in tackling deeper considerations, with the bloc persevering with to launch declaratory statements whereas missing enforcement mechanisms.
Izzah famous that the dearth of such mechanisms, coupled with consensus-based decision-making, restricted extra decisive motion, elevating broader considerations about ASEAN’s cohesion and effectiveness.
Manila now assumes the chairmanship, inheriting these similar structural constraints alongside mounting geopolitical pressures.
The unresolved Myanmar disaster stays a central problem, with continued political instability and little prospect of significant progress underneath current mechanisms.
South China Sea tensions are anticipated to weigh much more closely on the agenda, notably as Manila–Beijing relations deteriorate.
Minilateral safety groupings muddy the waters
Complicating the panorama additional is the rising prominence of minilateral safety groupings — Bangkok, Manila, and Singapore have strengthened ties with america, whereas Cambodia has aligned extra intently with China. These pressures check ASEAN’s inside unity and problem the long-standing neutrality of members like Malaysia and Singapore as divergent alignments deepen.
Liew warned that Manila could also be tempted to raise ASEAN on the worldwide stage, particularly on the South China Sea problem, however over-politicization dangers splitting the bloc internally.
Malaysia’s expertise, he argued, confirmed that “making an attempt to do much less can typically protect extra.” ASEAN works greatest as a stabilizer — one which maintains dialogue and manages expectations — quite than a resolver of disputes.
Izzah supplied related counsel: the Philippines ought to construct on, quite than sideline, the work of earlier chairs, notably the progress made via the Malaysian particular envoy on Myanmar.
The Philippines might additionally leverage particular person members’ strengths in managing extra-regional powers and potential crises, she argued, as enhances to current regional mechanisms.
The difficulties in securing a ceasefire regardless of the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord, she added, function a reminder that issues of strategic significance can’t be averted for concern of nationwide sensitivities. – Rappler.com
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