Malaysia to push for conclusion of ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement

By Vietnam News Agency
Mon, August 18, 2025 | 11:15 pm GMT+7

Malaysia will push for a "substantial conclusion" of the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) at the ASEAN Economic Ministers' (AEM) Meeting from September 24 to 26 in Kuala Lumpur, said Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz as reported by Malaysian news agency Bernama.

Malaysian Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz. Photo courtesy of The Straits Times.

Malaysian Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz. Photo courtesy of The Straits Times.

Before the meeting in Malaysia's capital, the ministers will also convene at a special meeting on DEFA on August 28 via video conference, also to be chaired by Tengku Zafrul.

"We will push for DEFA because it is important for ASEAN, especially Malaysia, as it is one of our PEDs (Priority Economic Deliverables) to be delivered this year,” he said.

"The good news is that we have completed the negotiations for two PEDs, which are the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) and the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), that are targeted to be signed in October," he told the news agency.

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