Malaysia Leads Post 2015 ASEAN Declaration Framework

KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is leading the process of formulating the post 2015 ASEAN vision in efforts to strengthen and enrich the ASEAN Community, said ASEAN Malaysia National Secretariat chairman Muhammad Shahrul Ikram Yaakob. He said as ASEAN 2015 chairman, Malaysia was given the honour by ASEAN countries to lead the framework. "A high level taskforce with membership from all the ASEAN countries has been set up to discuss and formulate the post 2015 declaration. "We have held at least three meetings so far and it will be announced by year's end." he told Bernama after being interviewed in the 'Dalam Radar Radio 24' programme at Wisma Bernama here. He said the taskforce's last meeting was held in Jakarta, Indonesia. The post 2015 declaration is a continuity of the Roadmap for ASEAN Community 2009-2015, which will be used as a guide for the ASEAN Community to continue progressing and prosperous based on the spirit of oneness as one community. He said 85 per cent of the more than 600 action lines under the ASEAN Community Roadmap (2009-2015) had been successfully implemented. "This does not mean that beyond 2015, everything will run smoothly. But what is important is that we need to have the ASEAN spirit. "Whatever are the issues, we must always sit down together to find solutions. We must agree to disagree in the spirit of ASEAN," he said. Earlier during the interview, Shahrul said Malaysia's chairmanship was recognised by the other ASEAN countries following Malaysia's good record and active role in international relationship. "If we look at records, among others, we have been a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) non-permanent member three times previously. "These matters have given us a stature in the international arena. They looked up to us with high hopes," he added. -- BERNAMA