Kuala lumpur: The 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and related summits wrapped up in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia, serving as the chair of ASEAN 2025, highlighted the importance of ASEAN centrality during the closing ceremony. He noted that the summit revived dialogues and established new bridges, affirming the effectiveness of ASEAN’s mechanisms when guided by patience and reason.

According to Lao News Agency, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim emphasized that while ASEAN centrality may not be achieving monumental heights, it remains intact and functional. He assured that the region’s cohesion is stable, stating, “Centrality, while not soaring above the skies, is still alive and well. Things are not falling apart and the center still holds.”

During the closing ceremony, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim ceremoniously passed the rotating chair gavel to Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, marking the transition of the ASEAN chairmanship for 2026 to the Philippines. The event, which took place in Kuala Lumpur, symbolized Malaysia’s conclusion of its tenure as ASEAN chair.

The ASEAN Summit is typically conducted twice annually, occurring once in each half of the year. ASEAN, established in 1967, comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Timor-Leste.