SUBANG (Dec 21): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to meet with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Langkawi to discuss regional strategic issues and Asean developments.

According to Anwar, the bilateral meeting with Prabowo is scheduled to take place next Monday, while the meeting with Thaksin is set for Thursday.

“President Prabowo has chosen to hold this as a bilateral meeting to discuss our views on Asean and its developments," said Anwar at a special press conference here on Saturday. Also present was the secretary general of the Ministry of Communications, Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa.

Anwar stated that the upcoming meeting with Prabowo will focus on strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries, aside from discussing Indonesia's crucial role as a strategic Asean member.

"He (Prabowo) has strong ties with Asean leaders and extensive experience, both of which will be valuable in addressing several related issues," Anwar said.

Regarding the meeting with Thaksin, Anwar noted that it is expected to address various regional development issues and explore diplomatic approaches to tackling common challenges.

Anwar recently announced the appointment of Thaksin as his unofficial adviser for chairing Asean in 2025.

The announcement was made during a joint press conference with Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin's daughter, who was visiting Malaysia on Dec 16 in Putrajaya.

Malaysia will officially assume the Asean chairmanship on Jan 1, 2025. The theme for Malaysia's Asean Leadership 2025 is "Inclusion and Sustainability".

Malaysia has previously held the Asean chairmanship in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015.

Anwar said that the meetings with Prabowo and Thaksin reflect Malaysia's commitment to continuing its crucial role in ensuring that Asean remains relevant and united in facing global challenges.

"The bilateral meeting is expected to yield positive outcomes in strengthening regional relations, thus contributing to the stability and prosperity of Asean," he said.

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