Malaysian PM: ASEAN on right track forward

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 8 -- ASEAN is on track towards realizing the

politically cohesive, economically integrated and socially responsible ASEAN

Community by 2015, said Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak on Saturday.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will contribute to

promoting and preserving the stability, security, peace and prosperity of this

region, he said in a message delivered through the Malaysian Foreign Ministry in

conjunction with the 42nd ASEAN Day Celebration on Saturday.

Najib said that the ASEAN Charter, which came into effect on December 15

last year, is aimed at strengthening the ten members of the ASEAN Community.

ASEAN includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,

Thailand, The Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam.

Najib said that the charter contains three main elements. Firstly, it aims

at reinforcing the institutional framework of ASEAN to make the organization

more resilient in facing current and future challenges.

Secondly, the charter has transformed ASEAN into a rule-based organization.

Najib said that the third element is aimed to improve coordination between the

various ASEAN organs.

Najib also said that ASEAN has adopted a people-centered agenda to increase

public awareness of ASEAN and its benefits to the people at large, in order to

encourage the participation of the citizens of ASEAN in realizing the charter

successfully.

He urged Malaysians to learn more about ASEAN by participating in

activities at ASEAN level.

Najib also said that he would continue work with other ASEAN leaders to

ensure that the peoples of ASEAN would continue to be able to live in an

environment abundant with opportunities for development and prosperity.