KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia must continue to strengthen the concept of ASEAN Centrality and ASEAN Vision 2045 as catalysts for regional cooperation in facing increasingly challenging global geopolitical uncertainties, particularly conflicts in West Asia, according to experts.
Cyber warfare expert and security and political analyst at the Centre for Media and Information Warfare Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin, said that although ASEAN was not a military-based alliance, it played a significant role in maintaining stability through continuous and principled diplomatic approaches.
He said the approach was crucial to ensure ASEAN member states remained united and capable of acting collectively in addressing external pressures, including geopolitical conflicts and major power rivalries.
“Malaysia is capable of steering this diplomatic approach to ensure alignment in thinking among ASEAN leaders, thereby making the ASEAN Centrality concept a fundamental bulwark against regional threats,” he told BERNAMA.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had previously stressed that Malaysia must adopt a prudent diplomatic approach in facing global economic uncertainties that affected supply chains and commodity prices.
The Prime Minister said that while Malaysia maintained a firm stance on international issues, trade and economic relations with major world powers must be managed strategically, while maintaining good ties with various countries without compromising national interests.
Elaborating further, Noor Nirwandy said Malaysia must maintain a neutral policy as the foundation of its international relations, while strengthening national defence in terms of mindset, assets and overall defence cohesion.
“However, the most important aspect is diplomacy and ASEAN unity as the region’s main strength,” he said, stressing that strong diplomatic capabilities could prevent tensions from escalating into open conflict.
He emphasised that efforts to strengthen national resilience should not only focus externally, but must also be supported by internal strength, including unity among the people and social cohesion.
“A security-oriented mindset (awareness in managing security risks to protect the nation) will prevent unnecessary debates over trivial issues amid challenging geopolitical and economic uncertainties,” he said.
According to Noor Nirwandy, the government must also empower society through a strategic communication plan based on patriotism and national unity, while producing more leaders who serve as agents of unity.
“Concepts such as ‘Malaysia MADANI’ and unity of thought grounded in patriotism must be strengthened with the support of leaders and community figures to ensure the people are better prepared to face any unexpected challenges, including global economic crises or regional conflicts, without affecting national stability.
“Malaysia currently has strong political resilience, but society must continue to support national development and build a security mindset. Politicians, whether from the government or opposition, must prioritise national security issues and geopolitical threats with a more unified approach,” he said.
Noor Nirwandy added that Malaysia could remain a peaceful, stable and resilient nation amid global uncertainties through a combination of diplomatic strength, neutrality and strong national unity.
Meanwhile, a lecturer at the Centre for Social Sciences Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Prof. Datuk Dr P. Sivamurugan, said Malaysia, as a small and medium-sized country, must act wisely and not rely solely on vocal assertiveness.
He said key strategies included practising a neutral policy to ensure Malaysia remained balanced in its relations with major powers, while strengthening economic diversification efforts to reduce reliance on specific sectors and enhance resilience against external shocks.
He added that strengthening food and energy security should be prioritised to ensure a stable and sustainable supply, while multilateral diplomacy must be reinforced with ASEAN as a collective safeguard in maintaining stability.
“Domestic unity must also continue to be strengthened to avoid political divisions and ensure national stability is preserved.
“Small nations do not prevail through strength, but through wisdom and balance,” he said, stressing the importance of a cautious yet effective strategic approach.
While noting that Malaysia had strong political resilience based on a mature democratic system, functioning institutions, a diversified economy, and experience in managing past crises, Sivamurugan said risks such as political and ethnic polarisation, internal instability that could be manipulated, and public political fatigue could undermine national resilience. – BERNAMA
