Malaysia Champions ASEAN Inclusivity as Timor-Leste Nears Membership

Malaysia, in its role as chair for 2025, is championing inclusivity and sustainability within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. This marks a significant moment for the bloc as it navigates a complex global landscape, seeking to reinforce its relevance and independence.

Malaysia’s Leadership and Vision

As the current chair, Anwar Ibrahim, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, hosted the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur last month. This gathering set forth a vision for the organization to assert its autonomy, aiming to avoid undue influence from global powers. The summit also marked the tenth anniversary of the “ASEAN Community Vision 2025,” which focused on regional integration.

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ASEAN’s commitment to expanding its membership is evident in the planned full accession of Timor-Leste later this year. This move reflects Malaysia’s theme of inclusivity, demonstrating that the bloc is not exclusive to economically advanced or politically stable states. The country’s economy is heavily dependent on oil and gas resources with limited diversification into other industries.

Timor-Leste’s Path to Membership

Jose Ramos-Horta, the President of Timor-Leste, has humorously described the process of joining ASEAN as challenging. Anwar Ibrahim has been a strong supporter of Timor-Leste’s bid, pledging financial assistance to accelerate its membership. Malaysia is also working to streamline the accession process, potentially allowing Timor-Leste a grace period to comply with ASEAN regulations post-membership.

According to the World Bank, Timor-Leste’s GDP per capita was approximately $1,200 in 2022, highlighting the economic challenges it faces (Source: World Bank). Despite these challenges, full ASEAN membership will provide Timor-Leste access to a larger export market and increased job opportunities.

Geopolitical Considerations

Concerns exist regarding Timor-Leste’s ability to contribute to ASEAN’s development agenda and its ambiguous geopolitical stance. Timor-Leste formed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with China in 2023. Anwar Ibrahim views Timor-Leste’s inclusion as a way to strengthen ties between ASEAN and the Pacific Islands Forum.

The inclusion of Timor-Leste as a full member of ASEAN would enhance the bloc’s global standing. By supporting a post-conflict democratic nation, ASEAN can burnish its image as a promoter of stability, democracy, and development. This move is expected to create more educational and capacity-building possibilities for Timorese, fostering cooperation in market access, connectivity, and trade, while adhering to global norms and standards.