ASEAN-BAC Malaysia attended the official launch of the ASEAN Business Investment Summit (ABIS) and ASEAN Business Awards (ABA) 2022 virtually. The ceremony was hosted by ASEAN-BAC Cambodia, this year’s ASEAN-BAC country chair, on 29 June 2022 at the Hyatt Regency in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The hybrid event was attended by more than 100 attendees including Cambodian Minister of Commerce His Excellency Pan Sarosak who is also chair of this year’s ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting, other government representatives, embassies, business associations, as well as ASEAN-BAC members.
In his opening remarks, ASEAN-BAC 2022 Chair Neak Okhna Kith Meng emphasised that ASEAN-BAC is a platform for private sector development, with the primary goal of achieving the realisation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). He also highlighted the significance of ABIS and ABA as major regional gatherings that bring together ASEAN leaders, world leaders, and other relevant stakeholders to discuss how the region can tackle its most pressing issues and develop ways to make the ASEAN economy a contributor to shared prosperity and sustainability.
His Excellency Pan Sarosak, for his part, emphasised the importance of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) for the region and their significant contribution to the region’s employment, output and exports. He also said that the 4th Industrial Revolution (IR4.0), digital economy, smart manufacturing, and circular economy require forward-looking policies to ensure their viability and continuity.
ASEAN-BAC Malaysia’s council members participated in the 93rd ASEAN-BAC Meeting and the 17th Annual General Meeting (AGM), both chaired by ASEAN-BAC 2022 Chair Neak Okhna Kith Meng on 29 June 2022.
ASEAN-BAC Malaysia Chairman Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Munir Majid provided input on the Strategic Environmental Assessment – Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (SEA-OECD) and suggested that its potential be further elevated in ASEAN.
ASEAN-BAC Malaysia Consulting Director Ms Jukhee Hong presented updates on the ASEAN-BAC Green and Sustainable Economy Working Group (GSE WG) as the working group’s chair. The updates included inputs and responses from the 28th ASEAN Economic Minister (AEM) Retreat and the 8th ASEAN Finance Ministers’ and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting (AFMGM). She also highlighted the key takeaways from the 1st Green and Sustainable Economy Working Group (GSE WG) meeting on 4 April 2022 and updates on the upcoming ASEAN-BAC Malaysia Green and Sustainable Economy Webinar 2022.
Other presenters included ASEAN-BAC Executive Director Mr Gil Gonzales who provided updates on the ASEAN Digital Gateway, Travel Wallet and ASEAN Mentorship for Entrepreneurs Network (AMEN) Executive Director Ms Merly Cruz who shared AMEN’s Phase II plans.
ASEAN-BAC also welcomed two newly appointed members. They are Ms Cindy Lim who succeeded Mr Douglas Foo as chair of ASEAN-BAC Singapore and Mr Sabirin Othman who succeeded The Honorable Siti Rozaimeriyanty as council member of ASEAN-BAC Brunei.
ASEAN-BAC Malaysia wishes The Hon. Yanty the utmost success in her newly appointed role as Secretary-General of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) which will commence in November 2022.
Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Munir Majid, Chairman of ASEAN-BAC Malaysia, was awarded with the “The Royal Order of the Polar Star, Commander 1st Class”, by His Majesty the King of Sweden through the Ambassador of Sweden to Malaysia, Dr Joachim Bergström. The specially invited guests were headed by His Royal Highness Sultan Nazrin Shah (Ruler of State of Perak, Malaysia). Mr Raja Singham, fellow council member, and Ms Jukhee Hong, Consulting Director of ASEAN-BAC Malaysia also attended the event.
The ceremony was held at the residence of the Ambassador on 28 June 2022. The award signifies Tan Sri Munir’s continuous contributions in deepening Malaysia and Sweden bilateral relations mainly in economic, diplomatic and social relations.
ASEAN-BAC Malaysia, represented by its Consulting Director Ms Jukhee Hong and the secretariat team, attended the ASEAN Mentorship for Entrepreneurs Network (AMEN) Phase II’s 1st Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) organised by the ASEAN Secretariat on 13 June 2022. The meeting was chaired by The Honorable Dato’ Mohammad Radhi Abdul Razak, Deputy Secretary-General (Policy & Monitoring) of Malaysia’s Ministry of Entrepreneurship Development and Cooperatives (MEDAC), and attended by JCC and ASEAN-BAC members and staffers.
AMEN Project Management Office (PMO) Executive Director Ms Merly Cruz and MSME Development Advisor (Philippines) Go Negosyo presented the outcomes of AMEN Phase I which was launched in 2019 and shared how these learnings could be used as a starting point for the next phase. The group then discussed the expected results of AMEN Phase II and its planning efforts, with feedback and deliberation from the JCC members.
ASEAN-BAC Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines participated in the AMEN Phase I pilot project which saw a total of 48 mentors and 127 mentees. ASEAN-BAC Malaysia Council Member and BAC Education Managing Director Mr Raja Singham led Malaysia’s participation.
