KUALA LUMPUR: Regional leaders have arrived at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre today for the opening ceremony of the 27th Asean Summit.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will open the summits in what is set to be a showcase of Malaysia's organisational ability in hosting high-level foray as it wraps its chairmanship of Asean.
Malaysia is this year’s chair of the grouping of Southeast Asian countries, at a pivotal point its history as it seeks to establish an Asean Community by year-end. And the occasion will be marked by the signing of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the Establishment of the Asean Community tomorrow.
This will be a historic achievement for Asean, as the establishment of the Community will pave the way for greater integration that will be buttressed by its three pillars – Economic, Political-Security, Socio-Cultural.
It’s Malaysia’s honour that the Asean Community will be ushered in under its stewardship. Most certainly, the road to Asean Community building will not end with the signing of the declaration this Sunday, but some of the seeds were planted here in 1997, when the Asean Vision 2020 was adopted in Kuala Lumpur.
The document laid out a vision for “a concert of Southeast Asian nations, outward looking, living in peace, stability and prosperity, bonded together in partnership in dynamic development and in a community of caring societies”.
These lofty goals weren’t new in themselves – they are the bedrock of Asean since its foundation 48 years ago in Bangkok.
Malaysia is chairing Asean with the theme 'Our People, Our Community, Our Vision", and this will be reflected when the leaders are set to adopt a new 10-year plan to chart the region's development in the Asean 2025: Forging Ahead Together.