ASEAN To Deliberate For A Community That Is People Centred

MELAKA, March 26 (Bernama) -- ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Ministers who met here Thursday is to deliberate on ASEAN Community that is people-centred and socially responsible by forging a common identity and building a caring and sharing society. Minister of Tourism and Culture Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said: "The ASCC addresses a broad range of issues related to human and social development in ASEAN. This encompasses a wide range of sectors from health, labour, the environment, social welfare, gender to culture and education." He said this at the Opening Ceremony of the 13th ASEAN ASCC Meeting at a leading hotel in Bandar Hilir, here Thursday. The meeting was officiated by the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Melaka, Mohd Khalil Yaakob. Also present was Melaka Chief Minister Idris Haron. The meeting will end on Friday and three significant meetings of ASCC kicked off on Monday, with the High Level Task Force (HLTF-ASCC ), Working Group (WG) Meeting, and followed by the 18th Senior Official Meeting For ASCC (SOCA). The SOCA meeting was chaired by ministry secretary-general Ong Hong Peng, who is also Malaysia's SOCA leader. Meanwhile, Ong told reporters at a news conference that ASCC was also at the drafting stage for the Vision 2025 on a new course of action for 10 years until 2025. -- BERNAMA