Malaysia will strive to make ASEAN more cohesive

Significance Malaysia will take over the group’s annually rotating chairmanship from Laos at the start of next year. Anwar said he would have a team of advisers from fellow ASEAN countries. Impacts Malaysia will cultivate stronger ties with Russia and China in keeping with its non-aligned foreign policy. ASEAN will target increased trade with India and the Middle East, partly to cushion itself from possible US protectionist measures. Regional states will face pressure to crack down on transnational cyber-scam hubs.