For Anwar, quick wins trump stagnation on South China Sea and Myanmar

He manages to secure credible achievements during Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship

- Shannon Teoh Malaysia Bureau Chief

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim passing a gavel to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to symbolise the handing over of Asean's chairmanship to the Philippines, during the closing ceremony of the 47th Asean Summit and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 28. PHOTO: REUTERS

(REUTERS)

addressing his fellow Southeast Asian leaders before formally handing over Asean’s chairmanship to the Philippines on Oct 28, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim uttered three words that captured Malaysia’s turbulent year at the helm: “What a relief”

Malaysia’s chairmanship risked becoming a year of diplomatic disaster, with the United States imposing tariffs and armed conflict erupting along the Thai-Cambodian border — adding to Asean’s existing burdens.

But Datuk Seri Anwar managed to secure credible achievements rather than embarrassments.

This was largely achieved by focusing on low-hanging fruits, instead of being bogged down by the region’s two most persistent challenges: the disputed South China Sea and the civil war in Myanmar.

Malaysia took the opportunities in crises. It led the region by being the first to sign a trade deal with the US on Oct 26 to lock in lower export tariffs. It facilitated what US President Donald Trump called the “Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord” between Thailand and Cambodia. Mr Anwar also helped Timor-Leste make history by joining Asean as its Ith member.

But on the two big questions, Malaysia’s chairmanship achieved little progress to remember.

Mr Anwar seemed to be aware of this during a press briefing on Oct 22, where he downplayed the significance of overlapping claims in the South China Sea. “I find it difficult to comprehend why it is highlighted as a major issue,” he said, insisting that “it tends to be exaggerated” as a serious and explosive matter.