Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (CU)_ Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob addressed the 27th International Conference on the Future of Asia in Japan on Thursday. While delivering his address, he emphasized that now is not the time for the world to stay divided, rather it should be united to combat the challenges ahead.
According to Ismail Sabri’s first statement at the conference, which is also known as the Nikkei Conference, the world is currently encountering numerous threats, such as climate change, food scarcity and war, which demands regional and international commitment and collaboration in order to be resolved.
In addition, he shared a Malay adage, bulat air kerana pembentung, bulat manusia kerana muafakat, which means that as water is shaped by its container, so are people by consensus. The proverb emphasized the significance of forging a strong commitment to regional and worldwide collaboration. He said, “A crisis can be a blessing in disguise, which gives us the opportunity to learn from the experience and to find a comprehensive solution to move forward”.
The theme of the conference was Redefining Asia’s Role in a Divided World. He said, “Nevertheless, the solution should not benefit only one party, but all involved”. According to Ismail Sabri, the economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 outbreak and the current turmoil in Ukraine acts as a warning that the Asian region, like any other region, is never immune to its effects.
According to him, the major difference lies in the degree to which each country feels the repercussions, and that industrialized nations are unquestionably strong enough to deal with the situation compared to the less developed nations. He continued claiming that the issue of disparity or unequal distribution of vaccines became a major threat to the global economic recovery.
According to Ismail Sabri, in the absence of many alternatives, several nations throughout the world have begun actively planning their methods to ensure short-term food security. He said, “However, no one can succeed if we act alone in the long run. We must think strategically together to strengthen international trade ties and economic cooperation to face these challenges”.
According to Ismail Sabri, the economic cooperation and integration that is to be established must be tailored to fulfill regional conditions and demands. He said, “These initiatives need to be more inclusive and no longer be partisan in terms of geopolitical interests as the major powers have done over the past decade”.
