PM Wong to Attend Asean Summit in KL from May 26 to 27

Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong will be in Kuala Lumpur from May 26 to 27 to attend the 46th Asean Summit and related meetings, the first regional gathering he will attend since the 2025 General Election.

- Hariz Baharudin

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement on May 25 that this will be the first of two summits hosted by Malaysia as the 2025 Asean chair.

Themed "Inclusivity and Sustainability", the summit comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties, with regional leaders expected to discuss ways to strengthen Asean's unity and resilience.

Ahead of the summits in Kuala Lumpur, Asean economic ministers concluded negotiations to upgrade the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement (Atiga) at a meeting of the Asean Economic Community Council (AECC).

The Ministry of Trade and Industry said in a statement on May 25 that the move would create an improved regional ecosystem for flows of goods within Asean and benefit businesses.

The negotiations were chaired by Singapore, and an agreement is expected to be signed in October 2025 at the 47th Asean Summit.

Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong represented Singapore at the AECC meeting, which also discussed issues related to the digital economy, sustainability and finance, and deepening cooperation with other regions.