Venue: Sokha Siem Reap Resort and Convention Center, Siem
Reap, Cambodia
The 20th ASEAN-BAC Joint Business Councils (JBCs) Meeting was held in Siem Reap, Cambodia on 15 September 2022, chaired by ASEAN-BAC Chair 2022 Neak Okhna Kith Meng and attended by over 20 ASEAN-BAC and JBC members and staffers.
ASEAN-BAC Malaysia Chairman Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Munir Majid and ASEAN-BAC Green and Sustainable Economy Working Group (GSE WG) Chair Ms Jukhee Hong represented the chapter at the meeting through a pre-recorded message.
Tan Sri Munir provided updates on the 54th ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) – ASEANBAC Consultation Meeting that was held the day before, as well as updates on the ASEAN-BAC Healthcare Working Group (HWG). He also urged the ASEAN-BAC and JBCs to work together to ensure that the HWG’s priorities for 2022 are fulfilled.
Ms Jukhee Hong presented the GSE WG’s updates, including the inputs provided to various ministerial consultation meetings. She also highlighted the policies and initiatives that were presented by Dato’ Seri Prof Dr Ir Zaini Bin Ujang, Secretary-General of Malaysia’s Ministry of Environment and Water, during the ASEAN-BAC Malaysia GSE Webinar held on 18 August 2022. Click here for more information on the GSE Webi
Venue: Sokha Siem Reap Resort and Convention Center, Siem
Reap, Cambodia
Cambodia’s Ministry of Economic and Finance played host to this year’s 54th ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) – ASEAN-BAC consultation meeting on 14 September 2022, chaired by Cambodia’s Minister of Commerce His Excellency Pan Sorasak.
The ASEAN-BAC delegation was led by ASEAN-BAC Chair 2022 Neak Okhna Kith Meng, and the Malaysian delegation was led by YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Bin Ali, Senior Minister of the Ministry of International Trade & Industry (MITI).
ASEAN-BAC Malaysia Chairman Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Munir Majid presented on the ASEANBAC Healthcare Working Group (HWG) and Green and Sustainable Economy Working Group (GSE WG), both of which are chaired by ASEAN-BAC Malaysia.
Tan Sri Munir stressed that the pandemic is not over yet and that more preparedness, agility, and easy access to preventive healthcare is needed. He added that there must be an enabling environment for effective public-private partnerships (PPP) domestically and regionally.
Tan Sri Munir also highlighted the criticality of sustainability and climate change issues, especially in terms of energy transition, and suggested a public-private ESG framework which could holistically address the following issues:
- Government measurement and intervention in private sector green energy performance of the business sector;
- Carrot and stick fiscal approaches; and
- Green energy transition financing avenues.
Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Bin Ali, for his part, expressed Malaysia’s support for the extension of the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF). He also said that it was necessary to review the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), to ensure supply chain resilience and adapt to the ever-changing needs of businesses.
Click the hyperlinks below for media coverage:
- English News
- Tempo.Co
- Vietnam Plus
- The Malay Mail
- The Manilla Times
- The Star
- Borneo Bulletin
Venue: Sokha Siem Reap Resort and Convention Center, Siem
Reap, Cambodia
ASEAN-BAC Malaysia Chairman Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Munir Majid participated in the 94th ASEAN-BAC Meeting held on 14 September 2022 and chaired by ASEAN-BAC 2022 Chair Neak Okhna Kith Meng.
Neak Okhna Kith Meng opened the meeting by welcoming the new ASEAN-BAC Vietnam Chair, Mr Nguyen Quang Vinh. The meeting also discussed the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) Meeting, the Brunei Chairmanship Report 2021, as well as updates on upcoming events such as the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (ABIS) 2022 and ASEAN Business Awards (ABA) 2022.
Topic: Partnership for a Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN
Theme: ASEAN Post-Pandemic Recovery – Towards the new
normal, advancing and accelerating economic growth and
prosperity. How will RCEP and CPTPP promote stronger economic
recovery in ASEAN?
Venue: [Hybrid] Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh, Cambodia
ASEAN-BAC Malaysia Chairman Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Munir Majid was invited to speak at the ASEAN Leadership and Partnership Forum (ALPF) on 12 September 2022 on the topic “Partnership for a Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN”. The session was moderated by Dato’ Dr Vaseehar Hassan, Executive Vice Chairman of KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific.
Tan Sri Munir stressed the importance of economic growth from the Regional
Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in ASEAN but also cautioned against fixating on it given the lesson learnt from the region’s lack of preparation to face the pandemic.
Tan Sri Munir also highlighted the working groups chaired by ASEAN-BAC Malaysia — the ASEAN-BAC Healthcare Working Group (HWG) and ASEAN-BAC Green and Sustainable Economy Working Group (GSE WG) — both aimed at addressing pressing issues affecting regional economic growth.
Here, he urged decision-makers to ensure that the region is prepared when the next pandemic hits, highlighted the importance of public-private collaboration in public health emergencies, and encouraged actions that need to be taken to achieve net zero.
Please click the hyperlinks below for media coverage:
- Khmer Times
- Asia News Network
- China Daily
- The Malay Mail
- Fibre2Fashion News Desk
The 20th ASEAN-BAC Joint Business Councils (JBCs) Meeting was held virtually on 9 September 2022, chaired by Okhna Van Souieng on behalf of ASEAN-BAC 2022 Chair Neak Okhna Kith Meng. The meeting was attended by over 50 ASEAN-BAC and JBC members and staffers.
CARI ASEAN Research & Advocacy Executive Director Ms Jukhee Hong presented updates on the Business Sentiment Survey Report: Perception of ASEAN Businesses
Towards Japan 2022 which was conducted in December last year. The survey report is supported by the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) Singapore, ASEAN-Japan Business Council (AJBC), and ASEAN-BAC.
Venue: CEO Suite, Q Sentral, Kuala Lumpur
ASEAN-BAC Malaysia held its third Council Meeting of the year on 6 September 2022, chaired by Chairman Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Munir Majid. The meeting was attended by Council Members Tan Sri Yong Poh Kon and Mr Raja Singham, Consulting Director and ASEAN-BAC Green and Sustainable Economy Working Group (GSE WG) Chair Ms Jukhee Hong, as well as the Secretariat team.
The meeting discussed the chapter’s upcoming activities for the third quarter of the year and its continued efforts to engage with various state governments and agencies, as well as foreign business councils to advance Malaysia and ASEAN’s priorities and increase the country’s foreign investment attractiveness.
This was also the last meeting for staffer Ms Anis Yusof who completed her tenure with ASEAN-BAC Malaysia on 9 September 2022. On behalf of ASEAN-BAC Malaysia Council Members, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Ms Anis for her dedication as Lead Coordinator of ASEAN-BAC Malaysia for the last four years and we wish her every success in her future endeavours.
