Food security, climate change top ASEAN agenda during Malaysia’s chairmanship

Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on Friday.

Johari called on member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to pool their combined strength to handle food insecurity, elaborating that the Russia-Ukraine conflict has exacerbated the situation.

He held that ASEAN should combine its strengths, including sizeable agricultural land, finance, manpower and technology to create a food-secure region.

The speaker emphasised the importance of sharing ideas, experiences and expertise among the ASEAN member countries to bolster research and development efforts aimed at enhancing food security.

With a total population of 680 million, ASEAN boasts huge potential to become a substantial internal market, he said.

As the upcoming President of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, he reiterated Malaysia’s commitment to advancing other significant agendas, including climate change initiative during its tenure as the next ASEAN Chair.

He emphasised Malaysia’s interest in promoting renewable energy sources such as hydrogen and solar, and called on the ASEAN countries to invest in the young generation and education to develop future leaders capable of maintaining the bloc’s position as a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality.