KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has secured the honour of hosting the Secretariat of the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD), marking the country’s growing leadership role in advancing population and development issues across Asia and the Pacific.
The decision was made at the AFPPD’s 15th General Assembly yesterday, where Malaysia’s bid, championed by AFPPD Malaysia chair Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, received overwhelming support from member states, AFPPD Malaysia announced in a statement today.
“This win reflects Malaysia’s strong commitment to promoting sustainable development, gender equality, health rights, and the overall welfare of communities in the region,” the statement said.
Datuk Seri Nanta described Malaysia’s election as a profound honour, highlighting the country’s proactive efforts in championing key regional issues.
“Hosting the AFPPD secretariat is a recognition of Malaysia’s proactive role in addressing youth empowerment, gender equality, ageing populations, and reproductive health.
“We are committed to ensuring the secretariat becomes a dynamic and inclusive platform for dialogue, collaboration, and meaningful action across Asia and the Pacific,” he said.
The secretariat, currently based in Japan, will be relocated to Kuala Lumpur and serve as the regional hub for the next five years. It will support parliamentarians by coordinating advocacy programmes, research initiatives, and capacity-building efforts, equipping lawmakers with resources and policy tools to tackle population and development challenges.
As the host nation, Malaysia will also assume a leadership role within AFPPD through the appointment of the AFPPD secretary general, a position among the organisation’s key office bearers.
The leadership line-up includes Japan as chair, with vice chairpersons from New Zealand, Cambodia, China, India, and Kyrgyzstan. Representing Malaysia, Parit Sulong MP Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad was also elected as chairperson of the Standing Committee for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment for a four-year term.