By Danial Dzulkifly
KUALA LUMPUR, July 25 — Asean is unrivalled globally in terms of economic certainty, said Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari.
Leveraging the bloc’s stance on neutrality, growing population of skilled workers, and governmental commitment towards digitalisation and high-impact industries, Amirudin said Asean is quickly becoming a global economic powerhouse.
“As I stand before you this morning, as we face a world ripe with vast magnitudes of turmoil and uncertainty, I don’t believe any other region in the world provides the surety, certainty, and positivity that Asean provides.
“With nearly 700 million people throughout Southeast Asia, we represent nearly 9 per cent of the global population, and are rapidly growing. Besides Europe, there is no region as diverse in language, culture, beliefs, or ethnicities as Asean,” he said in his opening speech at the 8th Selangor Asean Business Conference (SABC) 2024, held in conjunction with the First Series of the Selangor International Business Summit 2024 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre here today.
Also in attendance were Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, state executive councillor for investment, trade and mobility, Ng Sze Han, Selangor State Secretary Dato’ Haris Kassim and Invest Selangor Bhd chief executive officer Dato’ Hasan Azhari Idris.
Amirudin said that as Asean undergoes this transition, a key aspect political and business leaders must accept is the importance of codependence among countries and businesses in the region.
He said this includes East Timor, which is awaiting its Asean membership.
“Instead of looking to expand external trade, we must think of Asean first,” he said.
Amirudin said to further build on the region’s gains, Asean members must include risk preparedness in their economic planning.
“Asean leaders can co-create an economic future driven not by a race to the bottom, as was the case, but a race to the top, in wages, living standards, and better education, which will lead to higher-quality jobs and higher environmental standards, all with one primary goal in mind — to provide a better quality of life for all of our people,” he added.
This year’s SABC, themed “Selangor, the Key of Asean: Accelerating Prosperity through Strategic Connectivity and Resilience”, highlights Selangor’s strategic importance in Asean’s economic landscape and runs concurrently with the annual trade summit from today to Saturday.
