Chosen as 2015 ASEAN Chairman, Malaysia Ambassador Shares Agenda

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Liputan6.com took time to sit down with the Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia, Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim. He has been interviewed to discuss issues surrounding both Indonesia and Malaysia. 

Malaysia has been chosen as the leader of ASEAN in 2015. The institution that popularizes the slogan ‘Our People, Our Community, Our Vision’ will have to again seek for prominence in the South East Asian region by maintaining the cooperation among involving nations through the consolidation in various aspects.

Appointed as this year’s leader, what will be the agenda for Malaysia?

We have been preparing since the end of last year through to this year. We have started to add more statesmen in the embassy because ASEAN office is located in Jakarta. We realize that there will be plenty of meeting discussing matters that need to be covered. Issues deemed necessary for discussions include business, culture and agriculture.

Conceptually, Malaysia tries to make ASEAN more of a people- oriented institution. ASEAN has been legitimately formed for along time. This is all was done by each government from participating nations. With Malaysia as the current chairman, we ought to adopt the notion of ASEAN as more people driver.

In terms of education, we can teach them for example, ‘we can be Indonesian first, but we are also ASEAN. Similar to Europeans, ASEAN has to possess an identity that is known worldwide. ASEAN is considered to be one among many important blocs in the world. This is to assure each participating nation’s safety from any kind of external threat.

The world is moving in groups. Europe with its own contingent, Korea and Japan have their own group. Many countries made a pact with each other to protect their very own parochial interest. So, if we don’t move together as one in ASEAN, we would miss out a lot and we ould be far left behind.

But I believe that as a coordinator for this year's ASEAN, Malaysia will play a very significant role in the strengthening of ASEAN and in the motivation process as to push participating nations to work more collaboratively as to make ASEAN one important entity in the world. (Akp/Tnt)